Malaysia Suspected of Ignoring Drug Smuggling into W. Kalimantan

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Mayor of Pontianak Sutarmidji suspects that the Malaysian authorities are neglecting a large number of attempts to smuggle drugs into West Kalimantan.

"They say that Malaysia has advanced equipment, but then how can drugs in such large quantities be able to enter West Kalimantan by passing undetected through their official border checkpoints," Sutarmidji stated on Tuesday.

Sutarmidji questioned how such large quantities of drugs could be smuggled out of Malaysia, even though it possessed highly sophisticated detection equipment.

"It could have been carried out for political reasons in order to weaken Indonesia. The matter should be raised with the Malaysian side," Sutarmidji remarked.

Sutarmidji suspected that Malaysians were deliberately importing drugs in large quantities.

"It can still be understood if the drugs were smuggled through illegal routes, but instead they are coming through border checkpoints," the mayor pointed out.

Malaysian Consulates Liaison Officer of the Malaysian Police in Pontianak ASP Muhammad Ibrahim had earlier noted that the border between Sarawak, Malaysia, and West Kalimantan, Indonesia, was vulnerable to drug smuggling.

"The issue of drug smuggling through border checkpoints is not only a problem in Indonesia, especially in Kalimantan, but also a serious concern for the Malaysian government," Ibrahim affirmed.

Ibrahim pointed out that the two countries still lacked sophisticated facilities to detect drugs, especially to foil smuggling attempts made through border checkpoints.

"We are constantly coordinating with the office in Kuching, and if anyone is found to be involved in drug trading activities, then we need to get to the bottom of this matter seriously, either in West Kalimantan or in Kuching," Ibrahim emphasized.

The state of Sarawak is one of the transit points for drugs before they are sent out. Drugs are mostly shipped through boats, which originate from neighboring countries, especially in Southeast Asia.

"Narcotics cases in Malaysia are handled seriously, and the possession of merely five grams of drugs alone can lead to the imposition of a death penalty," Ibrahim added.

ANTARA