| Stop Going To Thailand During Coffee, Lunch Breaks Order |
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BUKIT KAYU HITAM, Dec 17 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government Sunday ordered its employees serving at the Malaysian-Thai border to immediately cease the practice of going to Thailand during their meal breaks.
Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum, who issued the order, also instructed heads of department to take stern action against employees who defied the order.
"They are on duty and are supposed to be in the country ... but we have staff, including uniformed employees, who go to Thailand without any documents just to eat and drink," he told reporters after a visit to the Malaysian-Thai border, here.
He said the lax security at the entry-exit point resulted from the attitude of government employees there who became regular visitors to Thailand who gave special treatment to their acquaintances in Thailand.
Mohd Johari, who is the Kubang Pasu Member of Parliament, said he would meet with the directors-general of the relevant enforcement departments and agencies at the border to discuss ways to step up enforcement at the entry-exit point.
He said the government was considering introducing a special pass to Malaysians entering the duty-free complex area as many had abused the permission to enter the area without documents by going to Thailand.
Earlier, Mohd Johari met the Thai Immigration Chief at Dannok, Anukhen Tiancharen, and they discussed current developments at the border.
Asked on security at the check-point in Bukit Kayu Hitam, Mohd Johari said it had been stepped up after his visit there last Dec 10 following the assault of a Malaysian enforcement officer at the check-point by a group of Thais while on duty.
On Thai-registered commercial vehicles allowed to come up to two kilometres into Malaysia without any documents, he said he would look into putting a stop to the practice as it could cause problems, especially if accidents were to happen.
-- BERNAMA
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