Perak police seek 10 permanent GOF posts to tighten coastal security

MANJUNG: Perak police have proposed at least 10 permanent General Operations Force (GOF) control posts along the state's 158km coastline to curb illegal migrant entries and smuggling.

Deputy Perak police chief Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Azlin Sadari said the proposed posts would stretch from Bagan Datuk to Kerian, near the Perak-Penang border, covering four police districts.

He said the move was necessary as Perak's coastline had increasingly become an alternative route for illegal migrants following tighter enforcement in Selangor and Johor.

"In the first nine months of this year, 473 people were involved in attempts to enter or leave the country.

"These are those we detected and arrested. There may be others who escaped detection," he said at a press conference at the Manjung district police headquarters here today.

He said illegal entries through Perak's coastal waters had increased significantly since additional permanent GOF posts in Selangor were completed in 2024.

Perak currently has only one permanent GOF post, compared with 20 in Selangor and 22 in Johor.

Azlin said arrests of undocumented migrants in the four districts had also increased significantly.

"In 2025, the number of arrests increased by 29.72 per cent, or 419 arrests, compared with 323 cases in 2024.

"The figure continued to rise sharply by 73.75 per cent, reaching 728 arrests as of August this year.

"The drastic increase was driven by strategic factors, particularly the positive impact of the GOF post expansion project in Selangor, which was implemented in 2024," he said.

He said police were initially looking at 10 posts, although the number could increase depending on government funding and capacity.

The proposed locations would be determined based on intelligence, arrest records and areas identified as popular entry points.

"We will propose permanent control posts at every coastal location identified as a popular entry point.

"However, we have yet to finalise the number and locations as revealing them prematurely could provide an indicator to those involved in these activities," he said.

He said land applications had been submitted to the District and Land Offices in Bagan Datuk, Manjung, Taiping and Kerian.

"Once the land process is completed, the proposal will be submitted for budget approval and site gazettement before the permanent posts can be established," he said.

Azlin said manpower would also be a key consideration, with each new post requiring a GOF platoon comprising one senior officer and 30 personnel.

"This is necessary to enable 24-hour patrols to be conducted in synergy with other departments and agencies," he said.

Meanwhile, he said police had launched a large-scale integrated operation against illegal migrant entry in Manjung on Sept 1, with assistance from GOF personnel.

He said the Marine Police Force had recorded 69 arrests under the Immigration Act, 24 under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act and 85 in Customs-related cases, involving seizures worth nearly RM15.8 million.