RANTAU PANJANG: The Immigration Department is considering the introduction of a special lane at the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, and Security (ICQS) complex here to ease the daily commute of Thai students attending schools in Malaysia.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said that the Kelantan Immigration Department was ready to assist in facilitating the movement of these students and will open the special lane if the demand arises.
So far, 34 students aged between 12 and 17 have applied for a border pass at the Rantau Panjang checkpoint.
"Currently, there are seven check-in counters and five check-out counters at the Rantau Panjang ICQS for pedestrians, motorcycles, and trucks. If the need arises, we will open a special lane for these Thai-border students," he told the NST.
Zakaria also said that the Malaysian Immigration Department was awaiting the government's decision on extending the opening hours of the Malaysia-Thailand border gate, from 7am to as early as 6am, to accommodate students travelling from Thailand to attend school.
At present, the Rantau Panjang ICQS operates from 7am to 10pm, with any adjustments to these hours dependent on agreements between Malaysia and Thailand.
The stricter enforcement measures, announced recently by the state police and set to begin on Dec 1, will aim to curb illegal crossings at the Malaysia-Thailand border.
Those caught violating Section 5(2) of the Immigration Act, including students using illegal routes, face fines of up to RM10,000 upon conviction.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat recently said that 303 students who live in Thailand but cross the Sungai Golok River illegally into Kelantan daily to attend school would be given four options before the crackdown begins on Dec 1.
Outlining the options, he said students could either be placed in their school's hostel if available; or they could stay at another institution's lodging.
Alternatively, he said they could either rent a house near the school, or enter Malaysia through the ICQS complex.
However, many students have rejected these offers and continue to prefer travelling to school daily via the checkpoint.