<figure id="attachment_2766301" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2766301" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-2766301" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/3f1d3dce-kastam-bukit-kayu-hitam-bernamapic-resize-190524.webp" alt="kastam bukit kayu hitam" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-2766301" class="wp-caption-text">Bukit Kayu Hitam was the busiest entry point, recording 479,626 visitors from January to August, followed by Padang Besar (515,903), Rantau Panjang (235,526) and Pengkalan Kubur (103,638). (Bernama pic)</figcaption></figure>
PETALING JAYA: The number of foreign tourists entering Malaysia through the Thailand-Malaysia border saw a 6% increase in the first eight months of 2025 compared with the same period last year, according to the tourism, arts and culture ministry.
In a written parliamentary reply, the ministry said 1,590,464 tourists entered the country through the northern border between January and August, up from 1,499,803 during the same period last year.
It said Bukit Kayu Hitam remained the busiest entry point, recording 479,626 visitors during the period, followed by Padang Besar (515,903), Rantau Panjang (235,526) and Pengkalan Kubur (103,638).
The ministry also said 3,519,005 foreign visitors arrived through KLIA during the first eight months of 2025, marking a 16.4% increase compared with 3,022,320 visitors in the same period last year.
In 2024, KLIA recorded 4,548,399 tourist arrivals, up from 3,380,435 in 2023.
As for Johor, 4,829,907 foreign visitors entered Malaysia via the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex from January to August, a 6.7% rise compared with 4,526,240 previously.
“The number of foreign arrivals through the Johor CIQ in 2019 stood at 6,293,067, before falling sharply in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic,”it said, adding that arrivals gradually recovered to 5,055,782 in 2023 and 6,567,387 in 2024.
It was replying to Pang Hok Liong (PH-Labis), who had asked for the number of tourists entering Malaysia through the Thailand-Malaysia border, KLIA, and the Johor CIQ between 2015 and 2025.
In a separate written reply, the home ministry said 470 illegal border routes have been identified across Malaysia’s borders as of September.
“To combat the issue of illegal crossings, the General Operations Force, police and armed forces have implemented continuous and periodic border security patrols,” it said.
These include static controls at permanent posts, border patrols on foot and by vehicle, operations at international checkpoints, and roadblocks to gather intelligence.
The ministry was replying to Khlir Nor (PN-Ketereh), who had asked about strategic steps and security measures taken to monitor or close rat trails along the country’s borders.

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