Airports, ports and border checkpoints in Sarawak poorly equipped with drug screening systems, says crime foundation Sarawak chairman

 

KUCHING, July 12, 2024 - The Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) Sarawak today urged the federal government to quickly equip law enforcement agencies with in Sarawak with contemporary and efficient technology-based drug screening and detection systems and trained drug searching and detection canines to effectively counter drug trafficking and smuggling in and through Sarawak.

 

Picture: MCPF Sarawak chairman See Chee How says airports, ports and border checkpoints poorly equipped with drug screening systems.

Its Sarawak chairman See Chee How said it is very unfortunate that the ports, airports and border checkpoints are very poorly equipped, particularly Sarawak.

“We have only one drug screening systems set up at the Kuching airport, purchased by the Sarawak government and the police department has only one aged trained drug “sniffer” or detection dog in Miri.

“The inadequacy is daunting and this calls for the urgent and immediate actions by the federal government to equip all Sarawakian ports, airports and border checkpoints with the needed tracing and detecting systems and facilities, and trained canines,” he said in a statement.

“Sarawak, due to its vastness, with a long coastline, an extensive and yet porous border will need an enormous concerted effort of the government, all the enforcement agencies, social and civil organizations and each individual Sarawakians to safeguard Sarawak against drug abuse, smuggling and trafficking,” he said.

However, See, who is also Batu Lintang State  Assemblyman, pointed out that the law enforcement agencies and departments lack the technology-based drug screening and detection systems and trained drug searching and detection canines in Sarawak, the “sniffing” and detecting mechanisms, and he believes that it is a common problem that is faced throughout the country.

Referring to the recent drug bust whereby the Customs Department had seized 60kg of drugs worth over RM1.9 million at the courier company in Kuching on July 4, See said that the police and customs department had recorded no less than 10 successful drug busts throughout the country within the last one month, including four in Sarawak.

“Those successful operations are mostly resulted from intelligence gathered, and it appears to be the modus operandi that the illegal drug smuggling and trafficking syndicates are making use of the courier and logistic companies in their illegal operations and activities,” he said.

“But the courier and logistic companies and handlers are only responsible for the receiving transportation and delivering of the parcels, packets and loads in between the Ports of Loading (POL) and Ports of Discharge (POD), from the shippers to the consignees, having no knowledge of what are in the parcels, packets and cargo, saved that they are declared by the shippers.

In law and practice, there are no provisions allowing them to open the parcels, packets and cargo. Only the police, customs and authorized agencies such as the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) can legally open and check the contents of the parcels, packets and cargo, upon receiving reliable intelligence.”

“Relying on the intelligence gathered alone has its limitations and is wholly insufficient to cripple the rampant illegal drug smuggling and trafficking activities within the country. The ports, airports and border checkpoints in the country must be equipped with efficient technology-based drug screening and detecting systems and canines to “sniff out” the drugs that are been illegally smuggled in and out of the country,” he added.

He said the current MCPF Sarawak Liaison Committee has identified drug abuse, smuggling and trafficking as one of its core concerns.

He added the Sarawak branch is embarking on a statewide anti-drug campaign and exercise to raise awareness of the risk of drug abuse among the urban and rural communities, in schools and among the youths with the hope of mobilizing all segments in the Sarawakian Family to actively participate in actions and measures to combat this social ill.

Local netizens making fun of Kedah MB over his request to Sarawak to bear part of the costs to be incurred by Kedah for participating in Sukma

 

KUCHING, July 12, 2024 - Netizens have a field day over the last two days, poking fun at Kedah Menteri Besar Mohammad Sanusi Mohd Nor over his request to the Sarawak government to bear part of the costs to be incurred by his state contingent participating in the Sukma next month.

 Picture: Kedah MB Mohammad Sanusi Nor has become the target of jokes of the local netizens

While they urged the Sarawak government not to entertain the request, they thought that Sanusi was a joke.

Sukma is scheduled to be held in Sarawak next month.

“Why don’t you ask Sports Toto and Magnum to bear the cost?” asked a netizen who was obviously making a sarcastic reminder to Senusi whose government has banned the two gaming outlets from operating in Kedah.

“Minta derma lah,Dari rakyat Kedah sendri...RM1 sorg sudah ckup...buat tabung derma,” said another.

“Polah live dlm Bersamamu TV3 Sarawak nolong Kedah..baruk investors berderet deret inves modal di Sarawak,” suggested another.

A netizen who uses the name Badrul said: Harap Kerajaan Kedah hantar minima saja atlet tu ikut kemampuan kewangan negeri...tak perlu meminta simpati..Musuh² harbi dan liberal sedang ketawa bergelak kat negeri YB tu..

“Mun sik ada bajet, iboh dtg. Atok kn kaya blh sponsa,” suggested a netizen who simply referred to herself as Alice.

Another netizan who uses the name Sunan said”:Mun atlet boleh makei bilun barang2 sida Nya Hantar ngan bot Xpress (Bahagia / Concorde ) Dari Langkawi ke Kuching ,Hantar awal.

Kasa Asa said:” Kedah kaya raya dari sumber alam kenapa duit tidak cukup punca nya duit kena sakau rasuah banyak dan tidak pandai urus tadbir tengok kelantan bertahun- tahun masih tidak maju,masih mundur sangat ramai rakyat kelantan sendiri lari berhejirah ke negeri lain cari kerja cari hidup lebih baik menurut netizen.”

Said Jeli:” Dahlah rakyat sarawak miskin, nak minta bantuan pula..kami rakyat sarawak sendiri pun masih tak dpt apa2 bantuan..nak balik kampung pun masih jalan kaki sbb pacuan 4 roda tak dpt masuk .

Chong laughed:” MB paling paloi! Mun hal budget main politik Bkn main gi.. bilion2.. Mun dh ngmba lanun2 gi oversea pun million2 duit pake.. Tu belanja duit pake budak sukma pande Minta susidi..

However, Antu Ngerunsai suggested:”Pandangan sy kenyataan MB Kedah tu bukan serius tp saja hendak perli Sarawak....kalau xda duit buat apa hantar kontejin besar...hantar lh semampu yg boleh...kata2 org lama2 beli seluar dalam ukur di badan sendiri..

Anis Dinding suggested to Kedah MB to “Guna sea shipping melalui barang Lazada dan Shopee ke Sarawak ada murah kosnya, hairan betul Sabah dan Sarawak negeri mundur mampu menyertai Sukma di Tanah Semenanjung Malaysia.

Moses, who wrote in Iban, said:”Asuh ngena perau panjai sida ari Kedah,kami Sarawak ngena perau meh enti ka ke pasar.” 

A netizen, who identifies himself as farmer, said" Cannot help you, bro. If we help you, other states will also ask the same thing. No budget."

Sarawak Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Karim Hamzah, in his reply, has politely told Sanusi that all this while Sarawak and Sabah have to bear their own costs for sending athletes to Malaya and did not even ask the federal government financial assistance.

“What the Kedah menteri besar highlighted is what Sabah and Sarawak have had to endure during national events, including sports, whenever they are held in Peninsular Malaysia,” Karim was quoted as saying in the Borneo Post.

“The contingents from Sabah and Sarawak have had to bear the costs for any sports event, be it Sukma or the yearly national soccer league. We’ve suffered in silence every year just to participate,” Karim said.

Two days ago, Sanusi cited the high costs of travel and the need to transport “containers” of equipment in appealing for Sarawak to help cover part of the costs.

The Kedah menteri besar said other states also probably faced the same issue.

Karim thought that Sanusi was probably just joking, adding that Kedah was a rich state that could afford to bear the costs.