KUALA LUMPUR – The Defence Ministry should increase the presence of soldiers on the border with Indonesia to check the entry of illegals into the country, said a GPS lawmaker today.
Rubiah Wang (GPS-Kota Samarahan) said that the ministry should also boost the number of border control posts to at least 25 or one post for every kilometre of border.
"The 1,881km Malaysia-Indonesia land border between Sabah and Sarawak with Kalimantan, Indonesia is guarded by 11 control posts along it.
"The desire of the Indonesian government to shift their national capital to Kalimantan and the current critical situation, especially the pressure faced by the people of Indonesia, demand that we empower the army on the western front," she said when debating the 2021 Supply Bill (Expenditure) in Dewan Rakyat today.
She said 221 illegals were detained and 29 were chased away since Ops Benteng was implemented in Sarawak on May 21, and, of the total, nine cases involved the smugglings of 215 items worth over RM12.83 million. – Bernama, November 17, 2020
