The Malaysian government has approved a budget of MYR 1.5 billion (approximately USD 350 million) to construct a security wall along its border with Thailand’s Narathiwat Province, targeting illegal crossings, smuggling, and flood mitigation.
The 50-kilometer barrier will run along the Golok River in Malaysia’s Kelantan State.
Police chief Mohd Yusoff Mamat announced on 21 October that the National Security Council had approved both the project and its budget, according to Malaysian news agency Bernama.
The project is currently in the bidding and procurement phase.
Mohd Yusoff emphasized that the wall addresses critical security vulnerabilities created by the river’s narrow, shallow terrain, which makes conventional border surveillance challenging even with advanced technology including artificial intelligence, drones, and closed-circuit cameras.
Earlier, on 13 October, the police chief claimed that constructing a security wall along the Golok River was a strategic necessity rather than an option. He explained that the barrier would serve dual purposes: preventing smuggling and cross-border crimes while functioning as flood protection infrastructure.
The Golok River forms part of the natural boundary between Malaysia and Thailand, but its geography has long complicated security operations in the region.
The area has long been a hotspot for smuggling of goods, narcotics, and undocumented labour, with authorities from both countries struggling to monitor illegal crossing despite petrols, cameras, and drone surveillance.