A 24-year-old Rohingya man has revealed that he paid about RM10,000 to an agent to smuggle him into Malaysia, travelling by sea for a month from Rathedaung in Myanmar’s Rakhine State before making his way through Thailand.
According to the man, he arrived at an undisclosed location in Thailand before trekking through forested areas for about three days towards southern Thailand. He later entered Malaysia illegally via the Sungai Golok route.
The Myanmar national was arrested by the General Operations Force (PGA) while waiting for a bus to Permaisuri, Terengganu, at the Lembah Sireh Bus Terminal in Kota Bharu on Monday.
Southeast Brigade Commander Senior Assistant Commissioner Ahmad Radzi Hussain said the suspect was detained at about 7.50pm during Op Taring Wawasan.
He said personnel from the Intelligence and Task Force Unit of the 8th PGA Battalion became suspicious of the man’s behaviour before discovering he was unable to produce any valid identification documents during inspection.
Initial investigations found that the man admitted to entering Malaysia illegally in 2023 and had been working as a construction labourer in the Kota Bharu area for the past three years.
At the time of his arrest, he told authorities he was waiting for a bus to Permaisuri in search of new employment opportunities.
The suspect has since been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department at the Kota Bharu District Police Headquarters for further investigation.
The case is being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
Ahmad Radzi said the General Operations Force will continue to strengthen intelligence gathering, surveillance and enforcement operations to dismantle migrant smuggling syndicates and curb the illegal entry of undocumented migrants into Malaysia.
