Curbing drug-related issues through collaboration

KUCHING: A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Ministry of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development (KPWK) Sarawak and the Sarawak Prison Department to curb issues related to drug-related offences.

Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said this is a new initiative from the State government through the Social Development Council (MPS).

“We know one of the issues we focus on is related to dealing with drug and substance issues. We will go one step further for those imprisoned due to drug-related offences.

“It’s about starting a new chapter of their life. We feel that if we give them a chance and provide the necessary support, InsyaAllah they can,” she told reporters after the exchange of MoU at the Baitulmakmur II building on Monday (Dec 4).

Fatimah said the MoU is to encourage cooperation in the sharing of data or statistics of the correctional community for prisoners and ex-prisoners who are serving sentences for drug offences for the purpose of dealing with the issue of drug and substance abuse in Sarawak.

Under the MoU, the authorities would train and increase the capacity of the correctional community before and after release. Training and integrated capacity building would also be conducted for prisons staff who are involved in the intervention of drug and substance abuse issues in Sarawak.

“We would like to thank our state government for providing us with the budget amounting RM3.75 million for this programme in 2024,” she added.

Meanwhile, Sarawak Prison director, Mohamad Andri Md Ridzwan stressed that the collaboration is important because there is a need for continuous intervention until the correctional community can stand on their own.

“If there is no support like this, then we will find a repetition because this addiction has biological dependence and providing social support is important.

“That’s why we have this MoU and in 2024, we will implement the plan all out. But we have started the process from now on and in fact, in the case of Sarawak, the incarceration rate in Sarawak is the lowest in Malaysia and that is due to systems like these,” he said.