Drug abuse in Limbang schools serious? Fatimah will find out soon

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KUCHING: Minister of Women, Welfare and Family Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah will find out for herself the true picture about the so-called several schools in Limbang which are said to be covering up drug-related problems.

“We need to hear from the other side (schools) as well and every month the schools need to compile and send disciplinary report to the Education Department,” she said through an SMS yesterday.

She believed that the schools would welcome the strategic partnership with police, saying it was a win-win situation for all parties involved, including parents and the local community.

According to her, the report could be an isolated case.

She said this when asked to comment on the report which quoted Limbang police chief Superintendent Mohd Bukhori Saffai that some secondary schools in the district had apparently been trying to cover up the drug-related problems in the schools and the school authorities’ reluctance to co-operate with the police.

“I am disappointed with the actions of certain quarters, who do not like the presence of police in the schools, and are unwilling to cooperate and trying to cover up their disciplinary problems,” Mohd Bukhori told the press conference.

Assistant Minister of Youth Development Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, meanwhile, said the local community must always be on the watch-out to prevent the younger generation from being lured to drugs.

In his SMS yesterday, Abdul Karim said easy movement and communication and the robust economy could have contributed to drug-abuse cases in the state.

“This phenomenon (drug abuse) is everywhere, but it is not chronic. It happens in Kuching, Samarahan, Sibu, Miri and everywhere, but it’s under control,” said Abdul Karim who is also Assistant Minister of Housing.