Kuala lumpur: The government is adopting a comprehensive and integrated approach to addressing issues involving the Rohingya community in Malaysia, with a focus on strengthening border control, enforcement, and international cooperation. National Security Council (MKN) director-general Datuk Raja Nushirwan Zainal Abidin emphasized that this approach is objective and data-driven, aiming to ensure the country's continued safety and stability within the broader context of national security.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, although the involvement of the Rohingya community in crime at the national level remains low, the issue still warrants attention due to its links to border control challenges and the activities of cross-border syndicates. Datuk Raja Nushirwan highlighted this after officiating the handover ceremony for the MKN's Kampung Angkat MADANI (MADANI Adopted Village) initiative at Kampung Titi Tinggi Hulu.
Commenting on the situation in Perlis, he stated that the first 2026 Perlis State Security Working Committee meeting, held yesterday, reported that 210 Rohingya registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had been recorded in the state. He noted that the security situation in Perlis remains stable due to the close cooperation between federal and state governments, along with relevant agencies, despite the state's position as a border area.
Datuk Raja Nushirwan also mentioned that the MKN is coordinating several strategic initiatives under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), including a proposal to build security walls and fencing along the Malaysia-Thailand border. This proposed project aims to cover a 131.4-kilometre stretch across Perlis, Kedah, and Perak with an estimated cost of RM327.198 million, currently at the Statement of Needs (SON) preparation stage to determine its operational requirements, scope, and specifications.
He further added that Malaysia's future border control approach will not solely rely on constructing walls and fencing but will also incorporate modern technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), drones, and smart surveillance systems. On the MADANI Adopted Village initiative, he explained that it is being implemented in border areas to empower local communities through infrastructure, social, family, and human capital development, with RM1 million allocated for the initiative.