Kuala lumpur: The Ministry of Defence is focusing its efforts on enhancing control posts along the border areas, particularly between Malaysia and Kalimantan, Indonesia. Its deputy minister, Adly Zahari, said the ministry is committed to ensuring the construction of new control posts could be continued to safeguard national border security, although there are logistical challenges in building posts at certain locations.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Adly Zahari mentioned that improvements to the posts would be stepped up along the Kalimantan border under the Ministry of Defence framework for this year and the next. He acknowledged the logistical challenges based on contractors' experience, citing the difficulty in building control posts in very remote areas. This was highlighted during a question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat.
Adly was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong (GPS-Selangau), concerning the status of constructing a control post in Long Singut, Kapit, Sarawak, to curb intrusion and cross-border crimes. Meanwhile, Adly noted that a total of 60 officers and 1,004 personnel of various ranks from the Malaysian Army (TDM) have been mobilised for operations along the Malaysia-Thailand border.
He detailed that these operations include Op Pagar II and Op Kota Bravo/Charlie/Delta in Kedah, Op Pagar III and Op Kota Echo/Foxtrot in Perak, and Op Merpati Sector 8 Brigade in Kelantan. This was in response to the original question from Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman (PN-Sik) regarding the deployment status of personnel and defence assets along the Kedah, Perlis, Perak, and Kelantan borders to address the increasing threats of encroachment, smuggling, and cross-border activities since 2023.
Adly explained that the implementation of the projects had been enhanced through the deployment of new assets such as four-wheel drive vehicles, scrambler motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Continuous maintenance of infrastructure at all operational posts is coordinated by the Operations Planning Committee. Border control efforts are further strengthened with bilateral cooperation between the TDM and the Royal Thai Army through the Malaysia-Thailand General Border Committee agreement.
He added that this cooperation includes Regional Border Committee meetings, Land Working Group meetings, and joint patrols under the Combined Force Border Patrol coordinated by the Malaysia-Thailand Border Coordination Office. Four Coordinated Border Posts (PSTs) have been established through the construction of posts adjacent to each other between the two countries, including PST Ban Di Da and Ban Di Samoe in Sik, Kedah, and PST 34 and 36/100 in Durian Burung, Padang Terap, Kedah.