The recent bold and brazen attacks on policemen patrolling the Malaysia-Thai border have raised questions over the state of security in sensitive areas in the country.
Criminologist Assoc Prof Datuk Dr P. Sundramoorthy has even called for the formation of a dedicated border patrol team to keep criminals at bay.
He said this in response to two shootouts between General Operation Forces personnel and alleged smugglers at the border in Padang Besar and Bukit Kayu Hitam on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“Two shooting incidents took place back to back. Is this beyond intelligence gathering? What went wrong?” asked Sundramoorthy, a lecturer with Universiti Sains Malaysia.
“Smuggling has been going on for years in these areas. There are many rat holes and even the top brass have acknowleged that smuggling activities, including human trafficking and contraband, take place at our borders.”
“But criminals shooting at enforcement personnel … that’s a very daring and aggressive move.”
During the 3.10am incident on Tuesday, 54-year-old Sergeant Baharuddin Ramli was killed while his colleague, Sergeant Norihan a/l Tari, was seriously injured in the shootout at Pos TS9, Padang Besar.
The next day, another GOF personnel member was shot at the Malaysia-Thailand border in Bukit Kayu Hitam.
In the 6.15pm incident, L/Kpl Muhammad Amirul Amir, 26, was making his rounds near the border at Pos M16 when he was shot at.
He sustained minor injury to his abdomen. The shot was believed to have hit his bulletproof vest.
“I hope a special task force will be set up to determine what went wrong. Are smuggling hotspots continuously being reassessed as smugglers change their strategies? We also need to determine how intelligence is being gathered,” he said.
“Even if we have the technology, it is important to have sufficient manpower, he said, adding it was vital to determine if enough money is being allocated to ensure those involved in border patrol can do a comprehensive job.
Sundramoorthy said it was timely for Malaysia to formalise the setting up of a permanent border control agency for land and sea.
“Patrolling right now is a coordinated effort by the police, Immigration Department, Customs Department, army and the maritime agency. I strongly recommend that we get more organised,” he said.
Here’s the round-up of The News Normal today.
BUDGET 2021 PASSED AT POLICY STAGE IN DEWAN RAKYAT
Despite the hue and cry by opposition MPs since Budget 2021 was tabled on Nov 6, the Dewan Rakyat today passed the RM322.5 billion budget at the policy stage.
After Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz completed his winding-up speech, Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun put the Budget to a vote. It was passed through a majority voice at about 3.30pm.
Opposition members had failed to call for bloc voting as it did not meet the minimum number of MPs required for a vote.
HEART ATTACK REMAINS TOP CAUSE OF DEATH IN MALAYSIA
Ischaemic heart diseases remain the principal cause of death in Malaysia.
According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, 15 per cent of the 109,164 medically certified deaths in 2019 were caused by heart diseases followed by pneumonia (12.2 per cent), cerebrovascular diseases (eight per cent), transport accidents (3.8 per cent) and malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus and lung (2.4 per cent).
‘THE WAY HE DRIBBLED, THE WAY HE MOVED … MARADONA WAS SPECIAL’
Former Malaysian footballers and officials pay tribute to Argentinean icon Diego Maradona who died yesterday at the age of 60 following a cardiac arrest.
During his 21-year career, the Argentinean was given the nickname ‘El Pibe de Oro’ which means The Golden Boy as he went on to ink his name as one of the greatest players ever.
MALAYSIA ON CHINA’S PRIORITY LIST FOR COVID-19 VACCINE
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Malaysia has been listed as one of the countries to be given priority by China to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.
Muhyiddin said he received the assurance from China’s outgoing ambassador to Malaysia Bai Tian during the latter’s farewell visit at the Parliament building yesterday.
HAS PRIVATE HEALTHCARE BECOME TOO COMMERCIALISED?
The government, private healthcare industries, related stakeholders and doctors need to introspect and reflect deeply on how the private healthcare industry in Malaysia can move forward to serve the needs of all, writes Kota Kinabalu based Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Dr John Teo.
