PADANG BESAR: Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said the department would not mind it if the federal government decided to re-open the free flow zone in Wang Kelian, here.
He said any decision on the matter would be well received by Immigration, in addition to being committed to improving security monitoring at the border area.
“I understand that as of now, no decision has been made on re-opening the free flow zone in Wang Kelian.
“The free flow zone has opened and closed several times due to a number of factors related to security along the Malaysia-Thailand border, although some parties want it re-opened to revive economic activities there,” he said.
Mustafar was met by reporters during a programme involving the Immigration Department at Nurul Husna Mosque, here, today which was also attended by the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail.
Mustafar said the jurisdiction to determine the status of the free flow zone did not come under the Immigration Department, but rather the Cabinet Committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The free flow zone facilitated free movement at the border without any documentation up to approximately one kiolometre between Wang Kelian, here, and Wang Prachan in Thailand. However, it was shut down on April 1, 2015, for security reasons. --Bernama