KELANTAN police have warned travellers that special passes issued by Thai authorities cannot be used to enter or leave Malaysia through the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) complexes, stressing that only valid travel documents are recognised.
Kelantan Police Chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said the special passes may be valid in Thailand but have no legal standing in Malaysia, and therefore cannot be used to bypass immigration controls.
“There is no such thing as a VIP lane or simply raising one’s hand to cross the border without valid travel documents,” he said after the Town Hall Discussion with Kelantan Police Chief 2025: Be Alert to Drug and Cyber Crimes at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Machang today.
“Anyone passing through ICQS checkpoints must use either a passport or a border pass. For those holding special passes issued by the Thai authorities, they are not applicable in Malaysia and may only be recognised in Thailand,” he added.
Mohd Yusoff said the long-standing practice of “raising one’s hand” when crossing the border must stop, noting that eight individuals were arrested on 4 November for doing so.
“We discovered that this culture has been going on for quite some time, and we want it to end.
“From my own experience serving in Penang, one of my subordinates used to cross the border at Bukit Kayu Hitam simply by raising his hand. Eventually, he began smuggling in illegal items, including firearms for sale. That’s why I say this hand-raising practice is dangerous,” he said.
Earlier reports revealed that certain individuals, including civil servants, had been exploiting this old tactic to cross the Malaysia–Thailand border without valid travel documents, simply by raising their hands at ICQS checkpoints.
The latest incident was uncovered on 4 November when eight people, including two women, were arrested after entering Kelantan illegally through the Rantau Panjang ICQS.
Still at Large
The police confirmed today that a second suspect linked to the fatal shooting of a Malaysian national in Sungai Golok, Thailand, on 1 November holds dual citizenship and remains a wanted individual by Thai authorities.
Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat, Kelantan Police Chief, said the suspect is still being pursued by police in the neighbouring country.
“So far, we have been informed that the second suspect is still wanted by the police in the neighbouring country. At the same time, we are also assisting in tracking him here in Kelantan and maintain constant cooperation with the Thai police,” he said at the event.
Media reports previously stated that Thai authorities are seeking another suspect believed to be involved in the killing of a Malaysian citizen in the southern town of Sungai Golok.
Major General Prayong Kotsakha, Police Chief of Narathiwat Province, reportedly identified the suspect as 27-year-old Salip Samae, a local resident of the town.
Investigations have revealed that Salip is the younger brother of 31-year-old Alif Samae, who surrendered to police on 2 November. - November 13, 2025
