Awareness drive to educate youth on dangers of drug abuse

KUCHING: A drug awareness campaign themed ‘Jom Gegar Jepak: Sahabat Maritim Bebas Dadah’ will be organised on Jan 13 at Kampung Jepak Hall from 7 am to 5 pm to combat social issues, notably drug addiction and illicit substances.

Jepak assemblyman Iskandar Turkee said the campaign will focus on channelling information by providing necessary exposure and knowledge to lay the groundwork to create youth as agents of positive change in society.

The programme aims to educate the youth in dealing with the issue of criminal activities, including drug abuse and illicit substances.

“It will feature various activities, including forums, sports competitions and exhibitions. It is expected to increase awareness and provide education on drug prevention among the community.

“It will also provide the latest information on the assistance, support and services provided by government departments and agencies.

“With this programme, we aim to foster the value of leadership and care among the younger generation in helping to strengthen and develop close integration among the local community,” he said during a media session at the Apirasi Pembangunan Komuniti Jepak at Jalan Matang here today.

Additionally, he said the programme is anticipating around 1,000 attendees, with various activities planned throughout the day, including a morning aerobics session, a petanque competition, a football match, and spiritual activities.

“We organised these based on target groups. Additionally, for community leaders and the Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK), we have arranged a forum to facilitate the exchange of information and discussion of social issues to solve them immediately,” he said.

Iskandar added that this programme is one of the initiatives to position Jepak as a model for progressive and advanced development.

“As a first step, my focus is on empowering the youth in Jepak, ensuring they have access to quality education and career development opportunities. However, this wish will not be achieved if this group is plagued by social issues such as drug addiction and illicit substances.

“Therefore, our team will collaborate with various entities to provide training and courses that meet the needs of local employment,” he said.

The strategic partner of this programme includes Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Campus in collaboration with Jepak Community Service Office, Sarawak Social Development Council, National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) Bintulu Branch, Bintulu District Office and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (APMM) Bintulu Maritime Zone Office.