Kelantan police: Refugee activists must understand the law

Kota Baru: The Kelantan police chief, Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat, warned activists supporting the Myanmar refugee community to grasp the law and understand which enforcement agency handles what. While their motivations may be noble, a lack of legal knowledge could cause complications, particularly when large gatherings are involved.

At a police monthly assembly, Yusoff explained that managing Myanmar refugees has been a long-standing issue for the government and requires an appropriate approach. He was referring to an investigation involving social media activists who organized an event for the Myanmar refugee community, drawing nearly 100 attendees. The large crowd made control efforts difficult, during which a robbery committed by a refugee community member was reported.

Police also seized mobile phones of the individuals involved to help with the investigation. In another case, a housebreaking occurred in Tanah Merah involving the theft of 12 wristwatches. Police are aware of 8,021 Myanmar refugees in the state, with intelligence operations conducted in each district. The public is advised to report complaints to the appropriate agency, such as the Immigration Department for immigration matters and local authorities for business or premises offenses.