MACHANG: The government's allocation for border security announced in the 2025 Budget (Belanjawan 2025) yesterday is to ensure that national security and public order are maintained.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the allocation was for agencies, including the Malaysian Checkpoints Border Control Agency (MCBA) and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
"The prime minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim), when announcing the 2025 Budget (Belanjawan 2025) yesterday, believed that the logistic assets, especially along the nation's borders and waters, needed to be strengthened and upgraded.
"Apart from providing new vessels to the MMEA, he also announced an allocation to increase the efficiency of entry-point management following the use of QR codes in main entry points in the southern Peninsular.
"All this is to enhance security and public order."
He said this after launching the "One Village, One Leader" Madani programme with MCBA at Kampung Bukit Tiu here today.
Present was MCBA director-general Datuk Seri Hazani Ghazali.
Saifuddin said several new Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) complexes and police stations would be set up under the budget.
He said the RM24 million allocated to MCBA would enable it to enhance its operations and improve efficiency at entry points.
Anwar yesterday announced an RM560 million allocation to strengthen the country's borders.
He said the funds would be used to build, as well as upgrade, ICQS complexes in Rantau Panjang and Bukit Berapit, and two new border posts in Bantul and Serudung, Sabah.
"The funds will also be used to provide enforcement agencies with drone and artificial intelligence technologies."
Anwar said RM20 million was also allocated to increase the efficiency of entry-point management following the use of QR codes.