Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii said the state government should instead address the immediate needs such as additional guard posts, their integration with modern technology and the issue of corruption among the authorities.

“Before suggesting to build walls or fences along the border, he should address some of the real issues on the ground for the benefit of Sarawak in the long-term.

“On the Indonesian side, there are more guard posts compared with Sarawak along the borders. We need to have more such posts as well and integrate them with technology, such as electronic monitoring via drone or CCTVs (closed-circuit television cameras).

“That will require a lot of investment but definitely not as much as building a wall.

“What is most important is that we need to ensure that our enforcement agencies have the highest level of integrity. A lot of issues happen when integrity is compromised and corruption takes place,” the DAP rep said in a statement today, citing a case where an agent in Sibu had illegally smuggled in four Indonesians.

He called for the state government to nip the problem in the bud and address the issue of integrity properly.

Masing had recently said that Sarawak had proposed to build a 1,032km highway along the border from the Biawak Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security complex at the south of the state, all the way up to Lawas, its northernmost district, which is estimated to cost RM24 billion.

He said Sarawak needed the federal government’s assistance as it was a real challenge to seal the border with Kalimantan (in Indonesia).

However, Yii said the Sarawak government should look into building deeper ties that are mutually beneficial with Kalimantan to curb the issue.

He also suggested having a bipartisan committee where both the government and the opposition are invited to the border to better understand the situation together and to determine if there is a real need to “build a wall”.