Fatimah speaks during the press conference. — Photo by Roystein Emmor
KUCHING (Aug 24): There was a 4.53 per cent decrease in the number of arrests made by the authorities for drug-related offences in July compared to the month before, said Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.
The Welfare, Community Well-being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister said the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID), Customs Department, and National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) Sarawak carried out 437 enforcement operations last month.
“As a result of the operations, a total of 652 arrests were recorded, this number includes 70 involving drug distribution; 156 possessing drugs and substances; and 426 were urine-positive individuals.
“The number was a decrease of 4.53 per cent compared to arrests made in June, which saw 683 arrests,” she told a press conference today following the One Stop Committee (OSC) on addressing drug and substance abuse (MIDS) update for July.
Fatimah said through the operations, 8.55kg of drugs and compressed substances as well as 3,783 pills were seized by the NCID and Customs Department with an estimated value of RM231,000.
“The impact from the enforcement operations in July was able to curb the use of drugs and illicit substances by 10,450 times and save 2,375 individuals for the one month in the state.
“The operations give a signal that Sarawak is not willing to be used as a transit centre for drug trafficking to neighbouring countries. Curbing the supply and the demand of drugs and substances are the two key strategies in the Sarawak OSC MIDS Action Plan,” she said.
Fatimah said 2,035 individuals underwent treatment and rehabilitation last month, with 114 in Cure and Care Rehabilitation Centres (Puspen), 1,921 under community-based rehabilitation centres, and 57 with non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
She said 114 series of prevention and prevention education programmes were implemented in July by the district-level OSC MIDS in the workplace, educational institutions, and the community.
“The way forward for the OCS is to embark on an integrated action plan for drug-free districts in Sarawak, with a pilot project that has started in Dalat,” she said.
This action plan includes aggressive integrated enforcement actions to curtail supply to and demand of illicit drugs and substance in the district; robust community-based treatment and rehabilitation efforts for individuals and families already affected by substance abuse and use disorders to curtail relapse and sustain recovery; and structured prevention programmes targeting education institutions; the workplace and vulnerable communities.
In addition, there will be usage of new integrated instruments such as Social Intervention Directories; Social Well-being Cards; and Referral Forms to profile, track and address recovery capital needs of the communities affected by substance use, abuse and use disorders; and also mobilising and supporting the Community Leader’s MIDS Bureau to sustain grassroots collaboration.