KUCHING: Teenage pregnancies in the state have shown a downtrend but joint intervention efforts must continue.
In her winding up speech yesterday, Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said as of last Sept, the number of cases was 1,539 compared to 1,645 in 2017 and 1,873 for the same period in 2016.
“However, for sexual crimes against women and children, which included cases such as rape, incest, molestation , and sexual misconduct on children, based on police statistics, have recorded an increase of 199 cases from last Jan to Sept compared to 176 cases in 2017 and 129 cases in 2016 over the same period,” she said.
She said her ministry would continue with joint intervention efforts with the relevant agencies through various actions and programmes such as the one-stop pregnancy committee (OSTPC) roadshow and awareness programmes and sexual education.
Fatimah went on to reveal that some 1,117 people were under the monitoring probation (OKP) by the state Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) as of last August.
She said total of 43 joint-operations had been conducted throughout the state, not including the 290 ops by the AADK, were held this year randomly and 578 people were tested positive for drug abuse.
Fatimah said in order to strengthen and speed up the process to address drug abuse at district level, collaborations with the related agencies and ministries were made.
She added her ministry had form a One-Stop Committee (OSC) which is chaired by the district officer, and headed by the Narcotic Crime Investigation Department (JSJN). OSC is tasked with planning information gathering, identifying and treating the targets as well as planning operations.
“Through the first joint-operation held in Lawas District on 17 and 18 Oct 2018, JSJN managed to cut-off the supply chain and the drug transporting activity with the arrest of 46 people (85 percent) of the total 54 drug dealers that were identified through a covert operation in the district,” she said.
On the treatment aspect, Fatimah said 134 drug addict were undergoing treatment and recovery process in the Cure and Care Rehabilitation Centre (CCRC) or Puspen in Kuching, while 1,117 other drug addicts were undergoing a community rehabilitation.
“Apart from the recovery and rehabilitation efforts, AADK also implements the process of intervention through talks, exhibition, urine test, walking message, community empowerment and media campaign in order to achieve our vision of Drug Free in School, Family, Work place and community.
“Until Oct this year, a total of 478 programmes related to the awareness of drug and substance abused have been organised throughout state,” said the minister.
