18/07/2025

FRIDAY | JULY 18, 2025

5

Commercial drivers involved in crashes to undergo rehab

More than 100 illegal border bases detected KOTA BHARU: More than 100 illegal bases still exist along the Kelantan Thailand border despite intensified enforcement and closure of illegal routes since December last year. This has raised concerns over the effectiveness of the security along the country’s border. General Operations Force (GOF) Southeast Brigade commander Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid said the illegal bases are located in the Tumpat, Pasir Mas and Tanah Merah districts, which serve as key routes for unauthorised cross-border activities. “The terrain and proximity of the illegal bases to public settlements make continuous monitoring challenging,” he told Bernama recently. He said between Jan 1 and July 14 this year, 71 individuals were arrested for illegally crossing the border via Sungai Golok. The group comprised 54 men and 17 women from Malaysia, Thailand, Pakistan and Myanmar. All arrests were made under Section 5(2) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, involving 42 Malaysians, 26 Thais, two Pakistanis and one Myanmar national. Nik Ros Azhan said most of the arrests took place along the banks of Sungai Golok, which was previously the main route for residents on both sides of the border. “Although the closure order was issued some time ago, there are still individuals who try to take advantage of the illegal routes without considering the security and legal risks,” he said. He added that some of those detained claimed they only intended to cross briefly to shop, visit relatives, or for leisure, while others were seeking employment in informal sectors such as construction, plantations and restaurants. In addition, some arrests were related to the smuggling of subsidised goods. Since Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat ordered the closure of illegal jetties and bases in December 2024, residents with relatives across the border have been forced to use the official route through the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security complex, even for minor matters. The move has also impacted boat operators along Sungai Golok, who now face a lack of customers as people are no longer willing to cross the border freely. – Bernama KOTA BHARU: The Kelantan police yesterday confirmed they raided a gay gathering involving more than 20 local men at a bungalow in Jalan Kemumin, middle of last month. This has raised concerns among authorities about the increasingly bold illicit activities being organised behind closed doors. State police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said the operation was launched based on public tip-offs and intelligence gathered by a special task force, following a report regarding a so-called “food party” believed to be aimed at the gay community. “Initial information indicated that

associations representing lorry, express bus and tour bus operators. Aedy said the department is stepping up enforcement and preventive measures to address the high number of accidents involving commercial vehicles. Among the initiatives is a push for strict compliance with speed limiting devices in all commercial vehicles, with regular inspections to ensure the devices are functioning and effective. The department also reiterated that drivers involved in serious crashes could face licence suspensions. “However, these suspensions will not be issued automatically.

as a preventive measure. While no sexual activity was observed during the raid, the police are treating the matter seriously, as such gatherings could serve as a platform for the spread of immoral activities and increase the risk of disease transmission, particularly HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, he said. “Police will continue to monitor the movements of such groups, as we are concerned that they are becoming more active and bold,” he said, urging the public to come forward with any information regarding such closed-door events. – Bernama Sentral lobby at about 10.09am on June 7. Balisong, a high-achieving student from Cheadle, Greater Manchester, reportedly left home in the early hours of June 6, telling his brother he had school matters to attend to. Instead, he boarded a flight alone from Manchester to Kuala Lumpur. – Bernama “Each case will be assessed based on the severity of the incident and the driver’s past record, with decisions made by the respective state RTD directors,“ he said. Aedy also announced that the Kejara demerit points system is undergoing a major review. “The system is in its final stages of evaluation and will be enhanced to strengthen enforcement, particularly for repeat offenders,” he said. Last month, Transport Minister Anthony Loke described the Kejara system as a failure, saying it urgently requires a massive revamp. Kejara, introduced in 2017, is a demerit point system under the Road Transport Act 1987 that penalises drivers who commit scheduled traffic offences. However, under the current mechanism, demerit points are only recorded after offenders pay their summonses – a major flaw, according to Loke. During the session, Konsortium E-Mutiara Berhad managing director Naemah Ya’acob shared how her company has long prioritised road safety. She said E-Mutiara began installing speed limiting devices in its fleet as early as 2006, well before it became mandatory. “We installed the devices early and monitored the data closely. This has helped us identify faults quickly and ensure the safety of our passengers,“ she said. “Even our customers from Singapore ask if our buses have seat belts – and some say they won’t board if seat belts aren’t available. This shows how passenger awareness is increasing, and as operators, we must meet those expectations.”

o Completion of course required as part of licence reinstatement process: RTD chief

Ű BY KIRTINEE RAMESH newsdesk@thesundaily.com

“Under the proposed plan, affected public service vehicles (PSV) and goods driving licence (GDL) drivers must attend and complete the course as part of the licence reinstatement process. “Until then, they will not be allowed back on the road,” he said during a press conference yesterday. The announcement was made during an engagement session with industry stakeholders, including

BANGI: drivers involved in serious crashes will soon need to undergo rehabilitation before getting back behind the wheel, under a new initiative by the Road Transport Department (RTD). RTD director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli said the initiative is expected to take effect in November 2025. Commercial

Aedy Fadly (left) with RTD senior enforcement director Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan at the engagement session yesterday. – ADAM AMIR HAMZAH/THESUN Missing British teen told family not to initiate search

SHAH ALAM: Police have confirmed that British teenager David Balisong, 17, sent a final message to his family, asking them not to search for him before he was reported missing in Malaysia. Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the message was contained in an email sent to his mother on July 9 – the last

planned to return. So far, police have recorded statements from six individuals, including the teen’s mother, a bus driver, ticket counter staff, a currency exchange worker, and police personnel, to assist with the investigation. CCTV footage showed the teenager was last seen at the KL

known communication with the family. “In the email, he reassured his family not to worry or try to find him. He also wished them success and apologised for what he was about to do,” Hussein told a press conference here on Wednesday. He added that Balisong gave no indication of when or whether he

Condoms, HIV medication seized at gay party raid

still fully clothed. “However, the presence of condoms and HIV medication suggests preparations were in place should such activity happen,” he said. He said those involved were in their 20s to 30s and came from various backgrounds, including civil servants. “This is the first reported gay gathering of its kind in Kelantan, and the police successfully acted to detect and raid the event,” he said. Mohd Yusoff also revealed that some of the participants were found to be HIV positive and were undergoing treatment, believed to be

condoms and several boxes of HIV medication in a room, believed to have been used by the organisers as a store. He said further investigations into the mobile phones of three individuals led to the discovery of recordings containing gay pornographic content. “Out of the more than 20 individuals detained, only three were charged as they were found in possession of pornographic material on their mobile phones,” he said. He also said there was no evidence of sexual activity at the premises at the time of the raid, and everyone was

over 100 local men were expected to attend the event. However, when the raid was carried out at about 1am, most had already dispersed, and only about 20 individuals remained at the scene,” he said in a special press conference at the Kelantan police contingent headquarters here yesterday. He said intelligence reports revealed the event began at night and was intended to continue until morning, with participants required to pay a fee. The event was allegedly promoted via social media platforms. Mohd Yusoff said that during the raid, police discovered hundreds of