Azizul urges faster border security upgrade

SARAWAK should expedite the construction of a permanent, integrated Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security (CIQS) complex in Telok Melano to strengthen border security while supporting growing cross-border tourism and trade.

Tanjong Datu assemblyman, Azizul Annuar Adenan said the existing border control facilities were inadequate to meet the demands of increased cross-border movement following the completion of the Pan Borneo Highway, which begins at Kilometer Zero in Telok Melano.

Debating the State Budget 2027 in the State Legislative Assembly today, he warned that the area’s geographical characteristics, including dense forests and an extensive coastline, exposed it to security risks such as illegal entry, smuggling and other cross-border criminal activities.

He said the current facilities were limited in scale and lacked the capacity to fully process international passports, underscoring the need for a modern and comprehensive border control complex.

Azizul proposed three measures to safeguard the Malaysia-Indonesia border, beginning with expediting approval and construction of the permanent CIQS complex to enable comprehensive immigration and customs management.

He also called for more frequent and effective joint patrols involving the Malaysian Armed Forces, Royal Malaysia Police, including the General Operations Force, and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, in cooperation with their Indonesian counterparts.

These include the Indonesian National Armed Forces and Indonesian National Police.

In addition, he proposed empowering local communities to work closely with enforcement agencies by providing early information on suspicious movements and unauthorised activities along the border.

Azizul stressed that security measures must keep pace with Telok Melano’s emergence as an important gateway for tourism and trade.

The Telok Melano-Temajuk border, linking Lundu in Sarawak with Sambas Regency in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, offers considerable potential for economic growth following the reactivation of the Temajuk Cross-Border Post and Telok Melano Border Control Centre.

He said the area had become an attractive destination for coastal tourism and ecotourism, with opportunities to benefit local businesses through homestays, food outlets and tour guide services.

The border also offers opportunities to strengthen local trade under the Border Trade Agreement, enabling communities on both sides to exchange essential goods, agricultural produce and seafood at lower logistics costs.

Furthermore, cross-border movement through the Cross-Border Pass helps preserve family ties and shared cultural heritage between residents of Telok Melano and Temajuk.

Azizul said the challenge was to balance these economic opportunities with effective security enforcement.

He emphasised that while Telok Melano should continue developing as a prosperous gateway for tourism and trade, national sovereignty and security must never be compromised.