RANTAU PANJANG: A signboard warning people against illegally crossing Sungai Golok into Thailand at the Jitong illegal jetty here is believed to have been recently vandalised by smugglers.
The signboard was erected by the security forces a few years ago.
It is learnt that the signboard was vandalised by smugglers who were not happy with the move by Malaysian authorities to close all illegal jetties from Bukit Lata to Jeram Perdah.
Commenting on this, General Operations Force Southeast Brigade commander Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Abd Hamid said the smugglers' action would only result in his men erecting more new signboards.
"Like last Thursday, we have set up four new signboards warning the public not to cross into Thailand using illegal jetties.
"The four were placed here and Tumpat. If smugglers continue to vandalise these signboards, we will put them up again and again," he told NST.
Despite his resolve, Nik Ros Azhan said GOF personnel would also monitor the places where the signboards were set up to deter smuggling and vandalism.
"The GOF personnel have been told to carry out regular checks along the border areas from now on, even though the enforcement on illegal crossing will only take place on Dec 1," he added.
Last week, Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said that effective Dec 1, any Malaysian caught crossing into Thailand illegally will be hit with a heavy fine of RM10,000.
Yusoff also said from that date, all security agencies, including GOF personnel, had been ordered to arrest those attempting to cross into Thailand via illegal jetties.