PASIR MAS, Oct 22 — Eleven police reports regarding damage to concertina wire fences at 13 illegal crossing points around Rantau Panjang were recorded between March 27 and October 12.
Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department (PGA) Deputy Director Datuk Suzrin Mohamad Rodhi said the damage was believed to have been deliberately done to open up pathways for smuggling activities and cross-border crimes.
He added that the records of the PGA Southeast Brigade up to October 22 showed that the damage involved cutting, vandalising, and sabotaging the fences, with the damaged length estimated to be between two and five metres at each location.
“Any individuals detected committing the offence will be arrested, and further legal action will be taken,” he told reporters after conducting an inspection at an illegal crossing point near Jeram Perdah, Rantau Panjang, here, today.
Suzrin said his team constantly updates field information alongside the National Security Council and the police contingent regarding fence-cutting incidents in the border areas.
He added that on-duty personnel also took the initiative to tie back or repair the damaged fences to restore security control at the affected locations, in addition to channelling information to relevant parties for continuous monitoring.
“Enforcement actions are also being carried out by the PGA together with the relevant District Police Headquarters to address these incidents and ensure that border security remains preserved,” he said. — Bernama
* Editor’s note: PGA stands for Pasukan Gerakan Am, or the General Operations Force.