Peranan agensi kawalan sempadan Malaysia dalam membanteras kegiatan salah penyeludupan rokok: satu kajian kes di Pengkalan Kubur, Kelantan

Cigarettes smuggling has become so serious these days that it gets the attention of the nation’s top leader because it results in the loss of RM5 billion in tax revenue every year. Cigarettes smuggling also increases despite the setting up of AKSEM in 2015 hence raising question about AKSEM’s effectiveness in handling its duties. Pengkalan Kubor is chosen as AKSEM’s data from 2015 to 2018 shows that Kelantan is the state with the largest seizure of smuggled cigarettes among all land borders in Peninsular Malaysia. This study looks at why cigarettes smuggling still increases despite the setting up of AKSEM in 2015, especially to measure the effectiveness of AKSEM in playing its roles and responsibilities in dealing with the problem of cigarettes smuggling in Pengkalan Kubor, to analyse internal and external challenges that AKSEM has to face in dealing with the problem of cigarettes smuggling in Pengkalan Kubor, and to identify the methods used by AKSEM to solve the challenges that it faces in face in dealing with the problem of cigarettes smuggling. This study uses qualitative method involving structured interviews with 7 members of AKSEM
Pengkalan Kubor and 7 members of the public around Pengkalan Kubor. This study finds that AKSEM is really not effective in dealing with the problem of cigarettes smuggling in Pengkalan Kubor. The internal challenges faced by AKSEM are the lack of human resources, the issues of staff integrity, lack of logistics, and lack of
specialized training for the staff. The external challenges are the geographical situation at the Pengkalan Kubor-Thailand border, the low price of smuggled cigarettes, the ineffectiveness of existing act, as well as the lack of cooperation of the locals. This study finds that cigarettes smuggling activities in Pengkalan Kubor fits with the
Ractional Choice Theory. This study also offers some suggestions to help AKSEM deal with the problem of cigarettes smuggling in Pengkalan Kubor, as well as strengthening land border control of the country.