‘Workshop creates integrated intervention action plan against drug menace’

0

A WORKSHOP on drugs issue resolution and coordination was held in Limbang division recently to combat issues related to drugs especially in the division.

According to Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah, the workshop involved various agencies including the Home Ministry, Bukit Aman Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), Sarawak contingent PDRM and the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK).

The workshop was successful in creating an enforcement and non enforcement action plan known as the Integrated Intervention Action Plan.

“I am confident that the action plan can be turned into a framework for drug-related operations in other divisions throughout the state. This will enhance our effort in combating drug issues in the state,” she added during her winding-up speech in the august House yesterday In Sarawak, PDRM statistics showed that the number of drug-related arrests are showing an increase every year.

From 2011 to April, 2017 there were 32,984 drug-related arrests made by the PDRM in the state. Some of the notable cases happened in the Limbang Division.

Very recently an unemployed drug pusher was caught in Lawas with having RM1.9 million worth of assets while drug traffickers from Malaysia were caught in Indonesia, just across the border of Ba’ Kelalan and the latest case involved a trafficker from Lawas who was shot by the Indonesian authorities while trafficking drugs across the border.

Fatimah thus thanked the PDRM and other agencies such as the Customs Department, AADK and MMEA for playing their role in combating drug menace in the state.

Meanwhile, she also revealed that there were currently 62 drugs addicts currently undergoing rehabilitation voluntarily at Care and Cure Service Centre (CCSC) in Kuching while another 1,177 are currently undergoing drug rehabilitation under the supervision of the AADK throughout the state.

More CCSCs will be created in other places throughout Sarawak namely Limbang (in Lawas), Samarahan, Betong, Serian, Mukah, Bintulu and Sarikei.