Home minister: 24-hour border watch, jetty demolitions to curb cross-border crime in Kelantan

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail visits an exhibition booth at the 2026 ‘Kampung Angkat Madani’ and ‘Sekolah Angkat Madani’ initiatives at Sekolah Kebangsaan Jambu Lawar in Machang October 17, 2026. — Bernama pic

First Published: Saturday, 17 Oct 2026 5:27 PM MYT

MACHANG, Oct 17 — Police are maintaining round-the-clock surveillance along all border routes in Kelantan to curb cross-border crime, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

He said the directive had been issued to Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat to ensure continuous physical surveillance along the border.

“Among the measures taken are the demolition of illegal jetties and enforcement of the law against individuals crossing the border without valid documents,” he told a press conference after attending the launch ceremony for the 2026 Home Ministry’s Kampung Angkat Madani and Sekolah Angkat Madani initiatives here today.

However, he said enforcement measures might not completely eliminate cross-border crime, as it involves organised criminal networks that had been operating for a long time.

Therefore, Saifuddin Nasution said efforts to curb such activities required the cooperation of all parties and could not rely solely on the Home Ministry and the police.

Meanwhile, when asked to comment on the case involving an incident concerning Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1, he said police were completing several aspects of the investigation papers after the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) requested improvements before a further decision could be made.

Saifuddin Nasution said the investigation papers had been submitted to the AGC within a week of the incident.

He said the AGC subsequently asked police to complete several aspects of the investigation to ensure that the information and evidence gathered were sufficient for further consideration.

He said the investigation papers included witness statements and information gathered throughout the investigation.

The AGC could return the investigation papers to police for further completion if additional information was required before a decision was made, he added.

Previously, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Khalid Ismail was reported as saying that the investigation was being conducted by the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which deals with voluntarily causing hurt to another person.

Mohd Khalid said statements had been recorded from 25 witnesses so far to assist in the investigation into the incident, which occurred on September 28.

The media had earlier reported that Mohd Shuhaily had left it to the government to decide on any action that might be taken against him following a viral video showing him reprimanding an individual at KLIA Terminal 1.

Mohd Shuhaily said the matter had been brought to the attention of the country’s top leadership and the Home Ministry, and that he was prepared to accept any decision on the issue. — Bernama