(AFP) The government will carry out more rigorous checks at its border with Thailand in Kedah as part of a crack down on illegal immigrants, a senior official said today.

However Kedah's chief minister, Syed Razak Syed Zain, said authorities would try to ensure the increased security did not "scare" away tourists.

"We do not want tourists to feel pressured by excessive checking procedures to the extent that they refuse to come to Kedah or Malaysia," he was quoted by Bernama news agency as saying.

But Syed Razak said security measures had to be stepped up because the state government planned to keep the northern checkpoint open for 24 hours. It is now closed at midnight.

Malaysia, home to 750,000 foreign workers and hundreds and thousands of illegal workers, has recently stepped up efforts to clamp down on illegal immigrants.

The government announced this month it would tighten coastal security in the narrow Straits of Malacca and along the Penang coast line as it aims for zero illegal entry this year.

Illegal migrants are said to have contributed to a growth in crime and other social problems, but the tough new line is also seen as a bid to protect jobs for locals during economic hardship.