Saifuddin Nasution urges respect for Thai laws as six Malaysians remain in custody over drug offenses

PASIR MAS, Nov 16 — The public has been urged to respect Thailand’s laws and allow authorities to proceed with their investigation into the detention of six Malaysians in Sungai Golok, Narathiwat, on Nov 1.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the six individuals were involved in drug-related offences, granting Thailand the authority to conduct investigations and impose penalties.

“All six Malaysians involved in this case are subject to Thailand’s legal system.

“Based on updates from Kelantan Police Chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat, the suspects have been charged in court and are currently under remand for three months,” he told a press conference after the Santuni Madani Programme at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tanjong Bunga here today.

Commenting on the possibility of the suspects being allowed to return home after Thai authorities complete their investigations, Saifuddin Nasution said further checks would be conducted to determine if they committed other offences.

“We will investigate whether they entered Thailand through official checkpoints or illegal routes, as well as look into any other crimes,” he said.

On November 1, six Malaysians, including a local artiste from Kelantan, were detained during a raid by Thai police at a hotel in Sungai Golok. The raid, conducted at 6am, led to the discovery of about 6,000 yaba pills in their hotel room.

Two of the suspects reportedly entered Thailand using the Gergaji illegal jetty near Rantau Panjang, Pasir Mas, while the remaining four used the official route through the Rantau Panjang Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex.

Meanwhile, on the proposal for a flood security barrier along Rantau Panjang-Sungai Golok, the minister said the National Security Council (NSC) would review the plan.

“The construction of a border barrier is being discussed and will be finalised by the NSC.

“There have been suggestions from the state police and the state government, and I believe the NSC will monitor this closely,” he said.

Saifuddin Nasution added that the ministry would be consulted by the NSC for input and further discussions when the time comes.

The Thai government recently welcomed Kelantan’s proposal to recommend the construction of a security and flood control barrier along the Sungai Golok-Rantau Panjang border to the federal government.

Narathiwat governor Trakul Thotham described the barrier as an essential measure to tackle cross-border crime.

On November 5, the Kelantan government announced plans to propose the construction of a 100-kilometre-long barrier along the state’s border with Thailand.

The project aims to curb smuggling activities and mitigate recurring flood risks. — Bernama