Hamim (centre) being briefied on the Malaysia-Thailand border after looking at the area of mapping by the Department of Surveying and Mapping, Malaysia (JUPEM) in Perlis. — Bernama photo
PADANG BESAR: Malaysia and Thailand have in principle, reached an agreement on the two neighbouring countries’ boundary except for an area of 8.5 km in distance in Bukit Jeli, Tanah Merah, Kelantan.
Natural Resources and Environment deputy minister Datuk Hamim Samuri said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on border mapping carried out by both countries since 1973 had been signed.
“The total border distance of 656.8 km from Perlis to Kelantan had been completely marked except for an area in Bukit Jeli where there had been a claim dispute, resulting in discussions on the area to be shelved.
“Now we are entering the phase of signing the memorandum of agreement (MoA). When this is signed, the disputed border distance of 648.3 km is deemed as resolved,” he told reporters after looking at the area of mapping by the Department of Surveying and Mapping, Malaysia (JUPEM), here, yesterday.
Hamim praised the Thai authorities for their good cooperation, thus allowing the border mapping and demarcation to be completed although it had taken a long time.
According to him, Malaysia and Thailand signed an MoU on border survey and demarcation based on the 1909 Treaty signed between Siam and Britain.
The land border survey and stone demarcation started in 1973 and was completed in 1985, while the survey on the permanent boundary at Sungai Golok began in November, 2000 and completed in September, 2009.
He said the border mapping and stone demarcation works were not easy as it involved some 5,000 JUPEM staff, besides facing the communist insurgency in which several members of the Malaysian security forces were injured or killed while on security operations at the Malaysia-Thailand border areas.
“While the demarcation stones are being overseen by JUPEM to ensure they do not go missing, it is up to the National Security Council whether to build a security wall or fence along the border areas or not.”
Also present during Hamim’s visit were the ministry’s deputy secretary-general (Natural Resources) Datuk Dr Mohd Ali Mohamad Nor and JUPEM director-general Datuk Ahmad Fauzi Nordin.
On the massive landslide that occurred at KM52.5 of the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway late evening on Wednesday, Hamim said his ministry was prepared to offer its expertise and cooperation to the relevant agencies to identify the cause of the landslide.
He said the Department of Environment (DOE) under the ministry had experts who could assist the Public Works Department (PWD) in identifying the source of the problem to prevent it from recurring.
“The DOE is still waiting for the latest information from the PWD which is carrying out remedial works at the landslide location, for further action,” he added. — Bernama