KOTA BHARU: A team of the much vaunted Senoi Praaq, one of the finest jungle fighting forces since British Malaya, will be deployed to assist the operation of the existing General Operations Force (GOF) in guarding the Malaysia-Thailand border at Sungai Golok from Dec 1.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said more than 90 members of the team from the GOF Senoi Praaq in Bidor and Pengkalan Hulu, Perak will be stationed along the border posts. The Senoi Praaq with its formation rooted in the Malayan Emergency (1948-60) were British SAS-trained, where today it is now part of GOF (formerly Police Field Force).
He said the decision to assign members of the crack team at the national border had also been approved by the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain to tighten border control.
“As you know, we are aware that the Senoi Praaq team led by the Orang Asli community is unwavering in duty and are known for unstinting obedience to the leader’s instructions.
“The issue of leakage (in smuggling) and misuse of power (corruption) at the national border will be controlled, including at the northern border,“ he said at the Kelantan police contingent headquarters here today.
Mohd Yusoff said starting Dec 1, there will be a battalion exchange ceremony to take over the border assignment between GOF and Senoi Praaq.
According to him, the announcement barring Malaysians from using illegal crossings at the Sg Golok-Rantau Panjang route, which will take effect on Dec 1, is expected to cripple smuggling crimes by some 50% at the national border.