PETALING JAYA, July 9 — Weak border patrols and screening has been blamed for the smuggling of contraband, including firearms, into the country.
Security personnel responsible for border patrols said lax security was one of the major problems at the Malaysia-Thai border.
“It’s why firearms, liquor and drugs are smuggled into the country,” one said.
There are four main Immigration and Customs check points at the border — Wang Kelian, Padang Besar in Perlis and Bukit Kayu Hitam and Durian Burung in Kedah.
“The checkpoints at Padang Besar and Kayu Hitam are the most busy,” said a source.
Another source said security personnel would only conduct random checks on vehicles, as hundreds of vehicles ply both sides of the border every hour.
“It is impossible to scan each and every vehicle that enters the country, hence the need to conduct spot checks.”
The source said hundreds of trailers and containers laden with frozen food, especially fish, travel into the country.
“Only with intelligence are spot checks conducted on certain vehicles.”
A similar problem is faced by border patrol personnel when checks are conducted on trains which ply the route.
“Train passengers are required to bring down their luggage at the border, and random checks are carried out.
“A traveller could easily smuggle drugs in a backpack and walk freely into the country if the Customs personnel failed to check him,” the source said.
As for firearms, the source added it was common knowledge guns are hidden among frozen goods.
“If a pistol was hidden in a box, and there were hundreds of boxes, it would be almost impossible to detect it.”
Despite these setbacks, authorities at the Malaysia-Thai border have been able to curb human trafficking.
“This could be another problem as too much emphasis has been placed on human trafficking despite manpower constrains.”
Another source familiar with border security said the focus on the Thai-Malaysia border had made the authorities complacent at other entry points.
“There is increasingly more smuggling by sea and we have not taken the necessary steps to counter this,” he said.
The source said authorities had failed to keep a close watch on the rise of smuggling activities in the Straits of Malacca.
“Not all contraband comes from the north. Indonesia is a major source on the west coast for illegal items of all kinds, including weapons.
“The same boats bringing in people across the Malacca Straits illegally bring in other merchandise as well. Also, there is a widespread smuggling problem in Sabah.”
