KUCHING: Sarawak recorded 3,998 cases of drug abuse and addiction within the first quarter of this year, with Kuching Division recording the highest number of offences and arrests, said Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Mohamed Said.
He said Kuching Division recorded a total of 1,499 arrests (37.5 percent); Miri Division with 484 (12.1 percent), Samarahan Division with 457 (11.4 percent) and 59 arrests in Kapit Division (1.5 percent).
“This is based on information gathered by the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK), Ministry of Health (MoH), and also private drug rehabilitation centres,” he said in reply to a question from Hulu Rajang MP Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong in Parliament on Tuesday (August 25).
In response to Ugak’s additional question on the Home Affairs Ministry’s proposals and action to curb the smuggling of drugs into rural areas in Sarawak through the state’s border with Kalimantan, Dr Ismail said they were working closely with the Malaysian Armed Forced (ATM) to monitor the borders.
“We are certainly stepping up enforcement in terms of operations and arrests,” he said, assuring that they were well aware of the border areas and the many ‘lorong tikus’ (illegal rail trails).
He said they also needed cooperation between agencies under the Home Affairs Ministry including the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela), Immigration Department, AADK, and village heads or community centre heads to be the government’s eyes and ears by channelling information to combat the drug abuse problem in the country.
Ugak while asking his question had brought up the lack of border control posts along Sarawak’s vast border, which could have led to the smuggling of drugs into the rural areas.
He said there were only nine border control posts in Sarawak, compared to 59 posts in Kalimantan.
