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By Mihar Dias November 2024
The issue of Kelantanese youth slipping across the border into Golok for drug-related entertainment reveals a troubling gap in Malaysia’s border control and raises serious questions about the safety and moral well-being of young people.
The ease with which these teenagers circumvent formal immigration channels by crossing the Golok River illegally speaks volumes about the porous state of our border security.
This phenomenon not only exposes them to illicit activities but also to the dangers inherent in crossing into a lawless environment that caters to risky and often exploitative forms of entertainment.
What is particularly concerning is how readily Kelantan’s teenagers can access these environments with minimal intervention.
Golok’s clubs, filled to capacity with young patrons even on weekdays, have practically turned into magnets for those seeking a thrill or a temporary escape from the restrictions at home.
While the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) has flagged the situation, their jurisdiction ends where Thailand’s begins. Thailand’s authorities are not interested in cracking down on the influx of youth from Malaysia, and with unofficial crossings available at locals’ personal jetties, they have little incentive to close the gate on a booming nightlife economy.
The implications here are multifaceted. On one hand, the frequent drug use in these entertainment hubs is a clear public health issue. Young people are being exposed to substances that can lead to long-term addiction and dependency, spiraling into cycles of crime and poverty.
The Kelantan Police Chief Datuk Mohd Yusiff Mamat has alluded to the idea of creating a physical buffer zone to block these crossings, a measure that, while extreme, underscores the severity of the problem.
Such a measure, if implemented, could disrupt the illegal passageways and curb the flow of youthful traffic into Golok’s underworld. But a wall, as he suggested, may be treating the symptom rather than addressing the root causes.
These youth do not risk illegal crossings just for fun. Many are motivated by the lack of opportunities for safe and productive entertainment in Kelantan itself. Kelantan, which enforces stricter conservative values, does not offer a wide array of recreational alternatives that might keep young people engaged in healthier pastimes. As long as Golok provides an unrestricted outlet, youth will continue to seek its attractions despite the risks.
Addressing this issue, therefore, requires more than just physical barriers; it calls for community-based approaches to provide constructive entertainment, mentorship programmes, and preventive drug education that empower young people to resist the allure of quick thrills and escape.
Beyond individual health, there’s a moral and social risk in seeing young people routinely circumvent laws for a dose of escapism. These crossings blur the boundaries between right and wrong, creating a normalisation of law-breaking in the eyes of impressionable youth. What begins as an illegal river crossing for a night out could evolve into a more deeply ingrained disregard for rules. We could be grooming a generation to view legal restrictions as mere inconveniences rather than essential structures that safeguard society.
In the meantime, cross-border collaboration is essential. Malaysia and Thailand must find common ground in policing these activities. An open dialogue between the two nations could help control the flow of young people crossing the border while respecting each country’s regulations.
PDRM could consider formal proposals for cooperative patrols along the Golok River, with Thai authorities implementing more rigorous checks on their side. Malaysia could also look at expanding the reach of its community programmes, perhaps even offering initiatives that bring Thai and Malaysian law enforcement together to establish boundaries that are respected, not bypassed.
The situation in Golok illustrates the broader need for Malaysia to engage and connect with its youth, to understand their motivations, and to create avenues that divert them from destructive paths.
Rather than merely building walls, we should be building bridges—ones that guide our young people toward constructive opportunities within Malaysia.
It’s time we treat this issue as both a security challenge and a societal wake-up call to invest in the future of our youth, steering them toward safety, health, and a moral foundation that respects the rule of law.
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