ALOR SETAR – The shooting incident that killed a General Operations Force (GOF) personnel at the Malaysia-Thailand border area in Perlis this morning will not weaken the resolve of security forces in carrying out their duties in safeguarding the country.
Kedah police chief, Datuk Hasanuddin Hassan said the incident would instead serve as a source of inspiration to the security forces, including the Royal Malaysia Police or other security agencies, to tighten border control under ‘Op Benteng’.
“’Op Benteng’ will continue as usual and this morning’s incident is not an incident that will deter us, but will strengthen our resolve to monitor the areas we are responsible for respectively under the operation.
“In Kedah, there are walls at our border areas and we monitor these areas. This was an incident that was not supposed to happen between the police and other parties,” he told reporters today.
Asked if heightened security control at the country’s borders was needed following the shooting, Hasanuddin said the border control was secure enough at this time with the involvement of other security agencies.
He, however, reminded members of the security forces on duty at Malaysia’s borders to always be alert as these areas could have potential threats.
“To the family of the personnel who died as a hero at the Malaysia-Thailand border this morning, I, on behalf of the Kedah police contingent headquarters would like to offer our condolences,” he said.
He had earlier visited the forensics department of Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital where the body of Corporal Baharuddin Ramli, 54, had undergone an autopsy before being sent to his family’s residence in Negeri Sembilan.
In the 3.10 am incident, Baharuddin was shot dead while another GOF personnel, Corporal Norihan a/l Tari, 39, was seriously injured. He subsequently received treatment at Tuanku Fauziah Hospital, Kangar.
— BERNAMA
