Police shut down over 100 illegal ports in Rantau Panjang

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have dismantled over 100 illegal ports along Rantau Panjang, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (pic).

At a press conference on Tuesday (March 25) at Pulapol Kuala Lumpur, the Home Minister announced that police had shut down 134 illegal ports and stationed police teams in the area.

“All these ports have been closed. We have deployed the GOF Senoi Praaq team from Perak to ensure omnipresence,” he said after the 218th Police Day celebrations.

“This is crucial as many safety threats occur, including the smuggling of drugs, firearms, daily goods, and illegal foreigners,” he added.

He noted that the festive season was a “window” for criminal activity.

“Criminals think we’ll be relaxed during this time, but the answer is no. For example, Ops Pagar Laut is an initiative currently conducted at all maritime borders,” he said.

He then added that the police force must evolve to keep up with crime trends.

“We are constantly improving our training modules as crime takes on many faces. We cannot rely solely on old training modules because the police force is dynamic, not static,” he said.

He also highlighted the country’s current Global Peace Index standing, which is at 10th place.

“When we talk about peacefulness, there is a measuring stick. The Global Peace Index is what we use on the international stage,” he said.

“We are ranked 10th out of 160 countries measured with all peace indicators. In the Asia Pacific, this places us third, behind Singapore and New Zealand,” he added.