KOTA BARU (Bernama): All assets, including vehicles and buildings, of the Malaysian Border Security Agency (Aksem) in Kelantan will be taken over by the General Operations Force (GOF) from Oct 1, following a rationalisation exercise by the government recently.

       GOF South-East Brigade commander Senior Asst Comm Hasan Basri Ahmad Safar said 101 police personnel who were in Aksem in the state would also be absorbed into the GOF.

       He said with the rationalisation in place, it is expected that all offices at the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complexes (ICQs) in Bukit Bunga, Pengkalan Kubor and Rantau Panjang will be handed over to the GOF.

       “Police personnel from Aksem will be absorbed into a company from the GOF 8th Battalion based in Pengkalan Chepa here.

       “We hope the process will run smoothly to strengthen deployment at the Malaysia-Thailand border,” he said when met at the GOF 8th Battalion Camp in Pengkalan Chepa on Sunday (Aug 29).

       SAC Hasan Basri said the three roadblocks mounted in Lalang Pepuyu, Tanah Merah; Neting, Pengkalan Kubor; and Chabang Empat Salam, Rantau Panjang; will now be placed under the GOF's purview.

       In June, the government announced the restructuring of Aksem while the scope of border control duties would be taken over by the Royal Malaysia Police.

       Following the exercise, the GOF will take on all Aksem’s functions at the borders of the country using the provisions of existing laws. – Bernama