SIBU: The Malaysia Border Control Agency (Aksem) Bill passed in Parliament on Wednesday will add more bite in strengthening the country’s border security.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Masir Kujat said yesterday that the new Act was necessary to tighten the country’s porous borders to prevent cross-border crime, including smuggling.
“This Act will probably come into force within one or two months’ time. It needs to be passed in the Dewan Negara before being endorsed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and eventually gazetted as a law.
“The main agencies involved in border security as stated in the law include the police, General Operations Force, Customs Department, Immigration Department and National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK), among others.
“Based on the National Blue Ocean Strategy (Nbos), we may incorporate People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela). In fact, there is a requirement especially for us in Sarawak, where there are many ‘jalan tikus’ (illegal pathways) along the porous border. Definitely, the services of Rela will come in handy to assist the GOF, police, CIQ (Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex) or even manning border posts,” he said.
The Act will be enforced at the Malaysia-Thailand, Sarawak-Kalimantan and Sabah-Kalimantan borders.
Masir said there was a proposal to rope in the army border regiment under Nbos but nothing has been finalised yet.
The Sri Aman MP said that border security agency had already existed under Anti-Smuggling Unit (UPP) but was subsequently renamed as Aksem.