Smugglers use gun threats to silence Kelantan locals over illegal migrant landings

KOTA BARU: Villagers along the Kelantan coast claim they have been threatened with firearms by members of human-smuggling syndicates to stop them from exposing illegal activities in their neighbourhoods.

They said the threats had heightened fear among coastal communities, where undocumented migrants were brought ashore almost nightly through rivers, jetties and secluded stretches of beach.

A resident, who wished to be known only as Hamidi, said the activities were frequent, with suspected smugglers and their lookouts, locally known as "tonto", believed to be operating in the area.

"Almost every week, there are incidents. Sometimes, undocumented migrants arrive almost every night," said the 42-year-old self-employed man.

Hamidi claimed the activities were particularly noticeable around dusk, during Maghrib prayers, while some landings during Ramadan took place around Subuh prayers.

The father of four said the presence of lookouts had made residents wary, as they could not be certain who was monitoring their movements or reporting information to the syndicates.

He said he had previously apprehended undocumented migrants and handed them over to the authorities.

Another resident, known as Faiz, said he had been confronted and threatened with a pistol after encountering individuals believed to be involved in the smuggling operations.

"The incident happened two months ago in the area near Pantai Cahaya Bulan, and this incident made residents more cautious about speaking out," said the 38-year-old labourer.

Faiz also claimed that he and other villagers had confronted a boatman believed to be linked to the syndicate, whom he described as a Thai of Malay-Siamese descent in his early 40s.

He said migrants brought into Malaysia through Kelantan comprised men and women of various nationalities.

"Popular landing points include Pulau Pisang, Kedai Buluh and Pantai Mek Mah, as well as various jetties along the coast.

"Some migrants were also believed to have landed directly on beaches, including areas around Pantai Cahaya Bulan," he added.

Faiz said the operations appeared to involve networks on both sides of the border, with some locals allegedly cooperating with syndicates to facilitate the movement of migrants after they arrived.

The residents' accounts highlight the security concerns facing communities along Kelantan's coastline, where authorities have previously acknowledged the challenges posed by increasingly aggressive human-smuggling syndicates.

In August, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in Kelantan said residents living near Sungai Kelantan had reported being threatened over information about smuggling activities and landing sites.

Kelantan MMEA director Maritime Captain Kamal Mohamad said syndicates appeared to rely on networks operating both at sea and on land to move undocumented migrants and evade enforcement action.

He also warned that smugglers were suspected of possessing firearms, making enforcement operations potentially dangerous.