KOTA BARU: The Senoi Praaq unit, famed for its tracking and jungle skills, will be deployed to the Malaysia-Thailand border in Kelantan next month to tackle illegal crossings.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said police were set to clamp down on illegal jetties along the border.
"The Senoi Praaq team will be deployed to Kelantan on Dec 1. The inspector-general of police issued the approval today (yesterday)."
Yusoff declined to elaborate.
The Senoi Praaq, based in Bidor, Perak, is well known for their agility, jungle skills and fearlessness.
The unit comprising Orang Asli members was initially established in May 1956 with just 10 men to fight communist terrorists.
Their main task then was to carry out surveillance in the jungle, obtain intelligence and conduct operations among the Orang Asli to win their hearts.
On Monday, Yusoff said from Dec 1, Malaysians caught crossing into Thailand illegally could face a fine of RM10,000.
He said all security agencies had been ordered to arrest people crossing Sungai Golok through illegal jetties.
He said police wanted Malay-sians to stop using illegal jetties and enter Thailand via the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex.
Many Malaysians cross into Thailand for shopping and night-life, which is restricted in Kelantan. Smuggling is also rampant along the porous 96km-long border.