MARANG, June 4 — A Rohingya man pleaded not guilty at the Magistrate’s Court here today to a charge of dangerous driving causing the death of a motorcyclist on Jalan Kuala Terengganu-Kuantan, near Rusila here, last week.

Shah Dullah Abul Hashim, 20, made the plea after the charge was read out to him before Magistrate Nur Athirah Hashim.

The unemployed man was charged with driving a Proton Saga car dangerously, causing an accident with a Yamaha RXZ motorcycle and the death of Saifullah Isyraf Shamsudin, 27.

The act was allegedly committed at Kilometre 12.5 of Jalan Kuala Terengganu-Kuantan near Kampung Rusila here at 6 pm on May 27.

He was charged under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333/87), which provides imprisonment of between five and 10 years and a fine of between RM20,000 and RM50,000, upon conviction.

The court granted Shah Dullah bail of RM6,000 with one surety, ordered him to report to the nearest police station every month, and set July 8 for mention. — Bernama

IPOH, June 13 — Buildings constructed without planning permission are illegal and will not be allowed access to water or electricity supplies, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said.

He said the policy was intended to prevent the emergence of illegal settlements, including those linked to foreign communities such as the Rohingya.

“The issue of Rohingya refugees falls under the jurisdiction of the Immigration Department, which conducts regular inspections and enforcement operations.

“However, the government’s policy is clear. Anyone entering the country, whether on humanitarian grounds or as a refugee, must obtain government approval,” he told reporters after visiting an unclaimed money mobile counter here today.

Nga was commenting on reports of an unauthorised four-storey building constructed by the Rohingya community in a remote area of Sungai Tekali, Hulu Langat, Selangor.

Meanwhile, he said the government had revoked 26,108 business licences operated by foreign nationals through 4,000 enforcement operations carried out nationwide as of May this year.

“Foreign nationals are not allowed to run businesses or hold business licences. They may work as employees, but they cannot own businesses,” he said.

Nga added that local authorities nationwide had been directed to step up enforcement efforts, while urging the public to report the presence of illegal immigrants or any suspicious activities to the authorities.

On the unclaimed money campaign, he said RM13 billion is currently available for claim and encouraged the public to check their status.

“The process is simple. Citizens only need to bring their identity card and a bank statement,” he said.

Nga said the initiative is in line with Section 13(1) of the Unclaimed Moneys Act 1965, under which funds left untouched for more than seven years are transferred to the Unclaimed Moneys Account managed by the Accountant General’s Department.

“The money belongs to the rightful owners, but many are unaware that they have unclaimed funds,” he added.

“Starting this week, we will launch the campaign beginning in the Kepayang state constituency, with Pakatan Harapan elected representatives visiting constituencies across Perak to assist the public in reclaiming their money,” he said. — Bernama

KOTA BHARU, June 13 — Family ties in Malaysia have been identified as a key factor attracting illegal migrants, including Rohingya as well as Bangladeshi and Myanmar nationals, to enter the country through the Malaysia-Thailand border.

Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said many viewed Malaysia as their final destination rather than Thailand because they had family members or relatives here who could provide support upon arrival.

He said the factor was particularly significant among the Rohingya community, many of whom were willing to take great risks to enter the country illegally.

“Malaysia is their final destination. The main reason is that they have family members or relatives who have long settled in this country and serve as a support system when they arrive here.

“For the Rohingya in particular, these family ties play a major role in their decision to enter Malaysia,” he told Bernama recently.

Mohd Yusoff said illegal entries through the Malaysia-Thailand border remained an almost daily challenge for enforcement authorities.

As such, he has directed all district police headquarters (IPDs) in Kelantan to intensify operations against illegal migrants and not rely solely on the General Operations Force (GOF).

“I have issued firm instructions to all IPDs across Kelantan to carry out continuous operations, particularly against migrants entering through Thailand,” he said.

Based on police observations, most migrants use Thailand as a transit point before continuing their journey to Malaysia.

According to Mohd Yusoff, Thai authorities generally do not face issues involving large numbers of migrants as long as they do not remain in the country for extended periods

On the presence of Rohingya communities in Kelantan, he said police had identified settlements in several locations, including Tanah Merah.

However, he stressed that the situation remained under control and was being closely monitored by the authorities.

Although migrant-related matters generally fall under the jurisdiction of the Immigration Department of Malaysia, Mohd Yusoff said police continue to play a role in maintaining security and monitoring foreign communities in the state.

“This monitoring is important to ensure that any criminal elements or social problems can be prevented and do not affect public safety and order,” he said.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim reminded Rohingya refugees in the country to comply with local laws and regulations or face stern action.

He said while Malaysia adopts a humanitarian approach, the group must still comply with the country’s laws, including rules on the use of premises and business operations. — Bernama