Abdul Karim (centre) flanked by National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) Sarawak director Wan Madihi Wan Salleh and Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali holding up signs to promote Pemadam Sarawak’s website.
KUCHING (Mar 3): The government should set up a drug rehabilitation centre for women in Sarawak as the current centre here is only meant for men, said Drugs Prevention Association of Malaysia (Pemadam) Sarawak chairman Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
He said it was unacceptable that there were currently two female patients temporarily being treated at the centre here, although they were placed in separate rooms from the male patients.
“If a female drug user is found guilty by the court, she will be sent to a rehabilitation centre all the way to Kelantan because we don’t have such a centre for women in Sarawak,” he told a press conference after chairing a state Pemadam meeting.
Emphasising the need for a rehabilitation centre for women, Karim highlighted the alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl in the Miri police station lockup by a male detainee, adding that it should serve as a lesson.
In the incident on Jan 9, the girl, who was arrested for allegedly being involved in illegal gambling, was raped by the male detainee after he reportedly entered her cell and brought her to the toilet.
On Feb 9, two policemen had pleaded not guilty when they were charged with negligence under the Child Act 2001 in connection with the rape. A 19-year-old man had also claimed trial after he was charged with raping the girl in the lock-up’s toilet.
Bukit Aman Department of Integrity and Compliance Standards director Comm Datuk Zamri Yahya had said two weeks ago that 11 policemen would likely be fired or demoted in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, Abdul Karim said the sniffer dog units in Sarawak should be beefed up to rein in the drug menace across the state.
“I can tell you the state government is willing to provide the sniffer dogs but the upkeep of the canine and the handlers will have to be shouldered by the agency in charge,” he said, revealing that the state has less than 10 sniffer dogs under the police and Royal Malaysian Customs Department.
He acknowledged the price of purchasing a sniffer dog would cost at least RM70,000 but said the canine unit was the most effective way to detect any parcels containing illicit drugs being transported into the state.
“We know that many of the drugs were brought into the state via courier service and there are thousands of parcels coming in daily from multiple sources. That is one of the biggest challenges for us.”
Urging the government to step up enforcement at all entry points, Abdul Karim said the illegal market now was flooded with synthetic drugs that could be easily processed or manufactured inside a small premise undetected.
Abdul Karim also said the judiciary and prosecution teams must fulfil their duties as he was disheartened to learn that there were individuals who could still be acquitted after they were arrested for drug possession.
“Maybe the accused have very good defence lawyers and I hate to hear cases which people were acquitted from drug possession charges due to technical grounds. It is sickening and frustrating to learn about that,” he said.
In a separate development, Abdul Karim said Pemadam Sarawak had been working with the Lawas District Education Office, Serian Resident Office, National Anti-Drugs Agency and Anti-Drugs Squad to carry out awareness programmes since the beginning of the year.
Upcoming activities included a drugs prevention programme that will be organised for SMK Padawan, SMK Batu Kawa, SMK Lubok Antu, SK Dato Mohd Musa, as well as an E-sports tournament in cooperation with Sarawak eSports Association.
At the state Pemadam meeting this morning, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali was the state Pemadam women bureau chief.
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