OYA: A total of 9,605 drug addicts and offenders were recorded in the state which involved about 0.36 per cent of the state’s population which now stands at 2,670,000.
Of the number, the highest number recorded was Kuching with 3,665 persons and the least was Saratok with 30 persons.
Others were Miri (1,079), Bintulu (839), Kota Samarahan (823), Padawan (708), Sarikei (530), Mukah (421), Bau (384), Kapit (378), Lawas (354), Serian (208), Sibu (155), Limbang (166) and 51 in Sri Aman.
Without elaborating further on the statistics, Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development, Datuk Hajah Fatimah Abdullah pointed out that the role of eradicating drug-related activities should be shouldered by every citizen of the state.
She also expressed her deepest concerned on the statistics which involved students of which the latest statistic from the State Education Department showed an increase in number of those found positive for drugs based on urine tests conducted on them.
“In 2015, 195 students were found positive for drug but in 2016 the number dropped to 148. However, this year until June, 213 students comprising 212 boys and a girl were tested positive for drugs and one of them is from our area.
These students have to enroll in Kem Remaja Unggul or Kem SHIELD under AADK, police and the Health Department,” she added.
Despite only one student from Oya was found positive for drug, Fatimah called the people of Oya not to be complacent but always be on the alert because the drug abuse problem can get out of control if not tackled early.
Hence, she suggested that a social action plan to tackle the drug abuse menace involving all state and national related agencies be formed.
Fatimah said this when officiating at the `Engaging Community To Combat Drug Menace In Dalat District’ programme s held at SMK Oya here, yesterday.
“Enforcement solution is very important because a majority of the people, especially those in the rural areas feel helpless on the well crafted, cunning and bravery on the part of the drug addicts and dealers who could easily influence out innocent children,” she said.
On the dimension of non-enforcement solution she added that it was to improve the resilience of the community through their active involvement like enlivening of the neighbourhood way of life in the affected areas, coming up with special programmes, sharing with the ex-drug addicts and disseminating anti-drugs information.
“For that it would be wise to have an anti-drug social media network at the district and state-level which would be managed by a Unit or Police Narcotic Department as a platform for the public to channel information,” she said.
It would include the training of the local community leaders and parents on drug competency such as identifying drugs and characteristics of drug addicts and at the same time the provision of rehabilitation for the affected family members in a voluntary manner at Care and Cure Service Center of National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK).
At the event Fatimah also witnessed the energetic play on our nation’s number one enemy, the drug menace, by KRIS Theater Group of SMK Dalat, visit a mini-exhibition on drugs and children colouring contest.
Also present were Mukah Deputy Resident, Jack Aman Luat, Dalat District Officer, Kueh Lei Poh, Principal of SMK Oya, Malihah Sirat, Principal of SMK Dalat, Magdaline Jon, chairman of SMK Oya Parent-Teacher Association, Aini Suhaili, Dr Zufar Yadi Abdullah from Social Development Council (SDC), heads of departments, local community leaders and parents.
The event which was organized by the Mukah Resident Office, AADK, local Pemadam, Dalat District Office and two secondary schools here.
