Latest news with #MohdNasaruddinM.Nasir
New Straits Times
a day ago
- New Straits Times
Bukit Kayu Hitam immigration denies entry to 21 travellers
BUKIT KAYU HITAM: Twenty-one foreigners were denied entry into the country today at the Bukit Kayu Hitam border crossing in Kedah after immigration checks found irregularities with their travel documents. Bukit Kayu Hitam Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA) commander Senior Assistant Commissioner Mohd Nasaruddin M. Nasir said all of them were stopped at the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex at about 8am. He said inspections found the travellers did not meet the requirements set under the Immigration Director-General's Standing Orders for entry refusal. "Yesterday, we stopped seven foreign nationals for similar offences, and today we recorded another 21," he said at a press conference at the complex. "In the past, such refusals involved only a small number, but in the last two days alone, the figures have been significantly higher. Reasons for refusal included damaged passports, suspicious entry passes, invalid flight or hotel bookings, and other irregularities." The 21 people comprised 4 Chinese, 15 Thai, one Indian, and 1 Pakistani. They were eight men and 13 women aged between their 20s and 40s. "Action was taken under Section 8(3) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 as they did not fulfil the entry requirements as visitors to Malaysia," Mohd Nasaruddin said. "All were ordered to return to their countries of origin via the same entry point. The refusal process was carried out in full compliance with the Standard Operating Procedures and department circulars in force. "No seizures were made and no criminal elements or enforcement investigations were identified in this case," he added.
New Straits Times
a day ago
- New Straits Times
Diesel smuggling thrives despite subsidy removal
BUKIT KAYU HITAM: Despite the removal of the diesel subsidy in Malaysia, the fuel remains highly sought after by smugglers transporting it into neighbouring Southeast Asian countries, where prices are significantly higher. Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA) commander Senior Assistant Commissioner Mohd Nasaruddin M. Nasir said that Thailand was believed to be a "transit hub" for smuggled diesel before it was moved to other countries. He said the fuel was likely destined for markets with higher prices, such as Myanmar, where it can be sold for up to RM15 per litre. He added that the diesel was probably stockpiled in neighbouring countries, rather than in Malaysia. It was sourced from petrol stations near the border or local industrial warehouses before being smuggled out. Nasaruddin was speaking at a press conference at the Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) complex, where an attempt to smuggle 10,200 litres of diesel worth RM30,600 was foiled. The smuggling attempt involved three trailer lorries and three pickup trucks fitted with hidden tanks. Nasaruddin said the Thai-registered vehicles were stopped during a joint operation with other enforcement agencies. The total value of the vehicles was estimated at RM350,000, while the overall seizure, including the diesel, was worth RM380,600. The vehicles were seized under Section 64(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for further investigation. All the vehicles had concealed additional tanks mounted beneath the chassis of the lorries and on the decks of the pickups, making them difficult to detect at first glance. Nasaruddin said checks assisted by Road Transport Department (RTD) officers were vital, as they were familiar with such modifications. The vehicles typically entered Malaysia in the early morning before leaving at strategic hours, including weekends, early mornings, or late nights. The 6 drivers, all foreign men aged between 40 and 60, were released on MCBA bail. In June last year, the government implemented diesel subsidy rationalisation to curb cross-border smuggling and ensure that subsidies benefited targeted groups. The move raised diesel prices in Peninsular Malaysia to the current market rate of RM2.94 per litre, up from the previous fixed subsidised rate of RM2.15 per litre.
