8,199 arrests, RM30 mln worth of seizures related to drugs in S’wak to date as authorities ramp up efforts

KUCHING (Sept 18): A total of 8,199 arrests have been made in Sarawak for various drug offences between January and August this year, said Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.

She said the arrests were made during 5,774 enforcement operations involving 552.12 kg of drug and substance worth RM30 million.

Out of the total arrests, she said 6,450 of them tested positive for drugs, 1,353 for possession of drugs and substances and 396 for drug peddling.

“The volume of drug and substance seized have prevented 172,537 times of usage and saving the lives of 21,567 individuals a month,” said Fatimah at a press conference after receiving a courtesy visit from senior police officers from Bukit Aman Narcotic Crime Investigation Department at her office at Bailtulmakmur II building here today.

She said Kuching recorded the highest number of arrests at 1,732, followed by Sibu (936), Miri (766), Bintulu (670), and Samarahan (432).

Fatimah also revealed that there has been an increase of drug addicts volunteering to undergo treatments at designated centres across the state.

She said this was one of the many successes of the one stop committee on tackling drug and substance abuse (OSC MIDS).

She said the committee consisted of members from the Royal Malaysian Police, Health Department, Education Department, National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK), and inter-agency cooperation was essential to overcome the issue of drug abuse in the state.

“This is because we know that in order to take on the drug menace, it requires an integrated and holistic approach,” she said, adding the state government focuses both on enforcement operations and rehabilitation to tackle the drug menace.

Fatimah also pointed out recent surveys carried out have reflected a higher level of confidence among the public on the enforcement agencies’ efforts to curb the issue of drug abuse.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department deputy director SAC Mat Zani @ Salahuddin Che Ali, who was present at the press conference, said initiatives similar to the OSC MIDS should be replicated in all states due to its effectiveness on information sharing between different enforcement agencies.

Mat Zani explained the drug and substance abuse situation in Sarawak was still under control and the concerns related to Sarawak being used as a transit for shipments of drugs to another country was mainly due to the state sharing a land border with neighbouring countries.

He also said a forum will be held in Kuching in early October in collaboration with the ministry to inform the public on the functions and roles of the narcotics department and OSC MIDS to mitigate the threats of drug abuse.