The Internal Security Ministry will not relax the entry regulations for Thais through the Malaysia-Thai border checkpoints in Kedah, Perlis, Perak and Kelantan, according to Bernama. Its deputy minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum said as such, it did not agree with the request from the Perlis government to allow Thais to enter Wang Kelian without border passes. Only Thais with valid travel documents or border passes would be allowed to enter Malaysia, he told reporters after presenting allowances to village security and development committee chairmen and secretaries at the Kubang Pasu District Office here Sunday. "Who would know or be responsible if these people, coming in without valid travel documents, commit crime or overstay?" He was responding to the appeal by Perlis Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim to the ministry to exempt Thais from applying for border passes to visit and shop at the Wang Kelian bazaar on Saturdays and Sundays. Mohd Johari said the enforcement of regulations at the border checkpoints was tightened recently for security reason. Shahidan said since the entry at the Malaysia-Thai border was tightened recently, the number of Thai visitors had declined, thus affecting business.
