Malaysia and Thailand will streamline inter-agency coordination to bolster border security, prevent smuggling, and spur regional development.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Thailand will streamline coordination among agencies from both countries, particularly in matters concerning security and development in border areas, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
He said the matter was among the issues discussed during his meeting with Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow today, with the aim of better coordinating existing cooperation, including efforts to combat smuggling.
He said the move was important to prevent duplication of efforts by agencies from both countries, which could result in a waste of resources, while ensuring that the shared vision of leaders of both countries to strengthen bilateral ties could be effectively realised.
“We want to streamline coordination to ensure that, particularly in terms of border security, we no longer face smuggling issues that cause losses to both sides.
Both Malaysia and Thailand suffer losses, as goods are smuggled into Thailand, just as goods are smuggled from Thailand into Malaysia,” Mohamad told a press conference after hosting a luncheon for his Thai counterpart in conjunction with Sihasak’s two-day working visit to Malaysia.
Mohamad said both sides also discussed a proposal to coordinate the construction of border fencing, with Thailand planning to build fences in areas that have yet to be fenced by Malaysia to avoid duplication.
“Where we have already built a fence, they (Thailand) will not build one. Instead, they will construct fences in areas that currently lack them. This represents cooperation in terms of both security and border management,” he said.
On the situation in Southern Thailand, he said Malaysia, which has been entrusted with facilitating the peace dialogue process, would continue to assist efforts to advance the negotiations towards a more positive outcome.
He said this was important as the long-running negotiation process had yet to achieve the desired progress.
“This effort is vital to ensure Malaysia can contribute as a facilitator, helping to transform the region into a peaceful area and a zone for joint Malaysia-Thailand border development,” he said.
He added that both countries were also cooperating to address flooding along the Golok River and in Rantau Panjang, including through river deepening projects and the construction of flood barriers.
Mohamad said Malaysia, through the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA), had secured Thailand’s agreement to carry out dredging works along the Golok River, extending to its estuary, to ensure unobstructed water flow during periods of heavy rainfall.
