Just looking at this map, at 3000ft from Kota Bharu to Kedha (just north of Butterworth) is a bit of a scudrun… not sure they'd make that. Also, Butterworth is an Aussie station
afaik, wouldn't they have sent a friendly welcome fleet on an unidentified inbound? Perhaps Butterworth even was the target, if one wants to believe the terrorism theorists.
SkyVector VFR Chart Kota Bharu - Kedha