02/03/2026

MONDAY | MAR 2, 2026

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‘Border shooting incident an intimidation tactic’

Police safety must be national priority, says activist PETALING JAYA: Occupational safety and health (OSH) protections for police personnel must be treated as a national priority following a series of tragic incidents involving officers injured or killed while carrying out enforcement duties, said Alliance for a Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye. He noted that enforcement personnel, particularly those deployed on public roads and other high-risk public areas, continue to face significant dangers while performing their responsibilities, stressing that such losses should not be accepted as an unavoidable part of the job. “There have been a number of tragic incidents in recent years where police officers were seriously injured or lost their lives during roadblocks, traffic enforcement operations, patrol duties and crime prevention assignments,” he said in a statement. Describing police personnel as frontliners who place themselves in harm’s way daily to protect the public, Lee stressed that no officer should face unnecessary danger due to gaps in safety planning, inadequate protective measures or outdated standard operating procedures (SOP). He urged police leadership to undertake a comprehensive and independent review of all existing SOP related to enforcement operations, particularly those conducted on highways, busy urban roads and public spaces. He said the review should involve qualified OSH experts, road safety specialists and risk management professionals to ensure enforcement duties are carried out under safer conditions. Among the key areas requiring immediate examination are the location and design of roadblocks to ensure proper site selection, adequate visibility, advance warning signage and sufficient buffer zones. Lee also called for improved use of protective equipment, including high visibility gear, impact protection barriers, body cameras and other appropriate safety tools. He further highlighted the need for stronger traffic control measures through better coordination with highway concessionaires and local authorities, as well as improved fatigue management to ensure adequate rest periods and proper shift arrangements to reduce human error. Emergency response protocols must also be strengthened to enable faster action when officers are involved in accidents during operations, alongside the implementation of regular independent OSH audits of enforcement practices, he added. “Safety must be built into every enforcement operation as a non negotiable principle,” Lee said, adding that cultivating a stronger safety culture within the force would not only protect officers but also enhance public confidence in enforcement activities. Protecting enforcement personnel is a shared national responsibility, he stressed. “Preventing avoidable deaths and injuries among enforcement personnel is not merely an internal matter – it is a national concern. “Proactive measures taken today will save lives tomorrow.” Ű BY THE SUN TEAM newsdesk@thesundaily.com

o Anti-crime operations at M’sian-Thai border may have provoked organised criminal syndicates into issuing warning: Criminologist

Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: The recent shooting targeting a commander of the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency is likely a calculated act of intimidation by cross border syndicates unsettled by intensified enforcement at the nation’s entry points. Criminologist and former KL International Airport immigration operations chief Datuk Shahul Hamid Abdul Rahim said the agency’s stepped-up operations since assuming border control duties have significantly disrupted smuggling networks, increasing the risk of retaliation by organised criminal groups. “When the agency took over border control duties from several agencies such as Immigration, Customs and police, it began carrying out enforcement operations that have been quite effective. “There have been multiple seizures and arrests involving smuggling activities at entry points such as Bukit Kayu Hitam and others. Many types of smuggling have been successfully disrupted,” he told theSun . Such developments, he noted, naturally place pressure on smugglers, who are likely to react when enforcement becomes more aggressive and begins affecting their source of income. Drawing on his experience, Shahul described the shooting as more of a warning than an assassination attempt. “In my view, the action taken in this case was more likely intended to intimidate rather than to actually kill. It was meant to send a

Mohd Shuhaily said the shooting is believed to be linked to recent enforcement pressure at the border. – BERNAMAPIC

“The attack on personnel at the border is a response that demonstrates the effectiveness of reforms introduced by the agency’s leadership in tackling cross-border crime. “In reality, the criminals are attempting to send a message that they see themselves as being above the law and the authority of border personnel. “However, such actions could ultimately expose wider criminal linkages operating along the border that may have previously gone undetected,” he said. He proposed that national border entry points be prioritised under the country’s “soft target” list – the official registry of vulnerable high-risk sites overseen by the National Security Council and the Chief Government Security Office. “The current soft target framework adopted since 1959 has not been substantially updated, whereas countries such as the US, the UK and France review such lists regularly based on evolving threats,” he added. The shooting occurred at about 5.40am on Feb 25 when an SUV driven by Bukit Kayu Hitam commander SAC Mohd Nasaruddin Mohd Nasir was fired at by two suspects on a motorcycle near the Masjid Muhajirin slip road, about 1km from the Malaysia–Thailand border. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said on Feb 28 that police detained nine individuals – eight local men and one foreign woman – to assist investigations. – by Faiz Ruzman serious threat to these groups. “That is why they resort to intimidation tactics against enforcement agencies. However, I do not believe this should weaken the agency. Officers should treat this as motivation to continue carrying out their duties professionally and confidently,” he added. He stressed that the latest incident should serve as a reminder of the need for heightened vigilance at high-risk border points. “Border smuggling activities have been going on for decades. When enforcement begins to disrupt high-value operations, the reaction from criminal groups becomes more aggressive,” he said. Shahul also voiced support for arming personnel, stressing that frontline officers must be adequately protected amid escalating operational risks. “Officers are trained personnel from Immigration, Customs and police. What is important now is to ensure they are sufficiently equipped with firearms and protective gear, especially at high-risk locations.”

warning so that enforcement officers would be more cautious in carrying out their duties,” he said. Agency director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said the shooting was believed to be linked to recent enforcement pressure at the border. He made the remarks after inspecting the Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security complex on Feb 25. He disclosed that intensified operations by the 14-month-old agency, including an integrated exercise conducted from Jan 15 to Feb 15, resulted in seizures worth more than RM3.1 million at the Bukit Kayu Hitam complex. Shahul, who is also president of the Association of Former Immigration Officers of Malaysia said the scale of recent seizures may have further heightened tensions with organised smuggling networks. “Previously, many arrests involved smaller scale operations. But when enforcement begins to disrupt larger syndicates involving losses worth millions of ringgit, it becomes a

Pre-dawn ambush raises security concerns PETALING JAYA: The pre-dawn shooting of a commander in Bukit Kayu Hitam last week has raised alarm over escalating threats against frontline personnel guarding the nation’s northern gateway. Analysts warned that the brazen attack near the Malaysia–Thailand border signals a potentially shifting situational landscape in which border enforcement officers are increasingly exposed to intimidation and retaliation. analyst Dr Mohd Ramlan Mohd Arshad said the episode reflects mounting pressure on smuggling syndicates following recent enforcement successes at the northern entry point. “This incident aligns with earlier warnings by the agency’s director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, who flagged potential threats against his officers four months ago following increasingly effective enforcement operations that have pressured smuggling syndicates.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia migration scholar Dr Aizat Khairi said the incident points to early indicators of an evolving risk environment. “The shooting incident against the commander’s vehicle in Bukit Kayu Hitam indicates early signs that the risk level faced by border enforcement personnel is increasing. “The selection of a high-profile target, the early morning timing and the modus operandi of two motorcycle riders firing two shots near the border entry point typically serve an intimidation function. “The arrest of nine individuals to assist investigations, including the discovery of gunshot residue (GSR) on two suspects and on items linked to the incident, has strengthened the basis that this was not a random occurrence,”he told theSun . Aizat noted that the angle of organised crime retaliation has yet to be conclusively established and would depend on ballistic findings, communication tracing and verification of cross border criminal links that remain under investigation. Universiti Teknologi Mara border security

“This success directly affected the illegal income of syndicates and is pushing them to act more aggressively,” he said. Ramlan stressed that strengthening officer protection must now be prioritised. “The need to expedite the supply of firearms and security equipment is highly critical and should be implemented immediately. “There is clearly a significant weakness when officers are currently not equipped with firearms, and this aspect must be corrected as soon as possible together with bulletproof vests to ensure personnel safety. “This shooting targeting a senior commander is among the first for the agency but had already been anticipated. It proves the risk was known but protective measures were still insufficient,” he added. Universiti Utara Malaysia border defence researcher Assoc Prof Dr Mohammad Faisol Keling said the attack should trigger a broader reassessment of Malaysia’s border security posture.