RANTAU PANJANG: Three General Operations Force (GOF) posts located along Sungai Golok here are now inundated by floodwaters – but this has not deterred personnel stationed there form discharging their duties to curb cross-border smuggling.
Pos Salleh Berek, Pos Ibrahim Pencen and Pos Saripah are under between one and two metres of water after Sungai Golok burst its banks following a continuous downpour – but GOF personnel there are operating as per normal.
GOF Ninth battalion commanding officer Superintendent Nor Azizan Yusof said water began to rise at the posts beginning 5am today, but the spirit of the personnel have not been dampened.
“Each post has four GOF members, and despite having to wade through river water since early today, (they continue) to carry out their duties.
"They will be staying there (at the posts) until the floodwaters reach the maximum level or when the flood is about 5m high,” he said when visiting Pos Salleh Berek here, today.
Nor Azizan added that the three posts are among 20 manned by the battalion, which is involved in ‘Op Wawasan.’
“About 300 GOF members were deployed to take part in the operation since we took over the border area on Nov 16.
“The rising of Sungai Golok will not deter our members from continuing with their tasks, especially in combating smuggling activities," he said.
Since they took over the border, Nor Azizan said various smuggled items worth about RM2.6 million have been seized.
"Apart from contraband, we also seized smuggled livestock and other items," he added.