Fatimah: Amended Drug Dependents Bill to enhance help-seeking behaviour among addicts

KUCHING (July 4): The Drug Dependants (Rehabilitation and Treatment) (Amendment) Bill 2024, introduced in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday is a progressive step to enhance help-seeking behavior among individuals struggling with drug abuse, said Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.

The Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development said the amendment to the Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983 aims to provide opportunities for addicts who have recognised their condition to voluntarily seek treatment and rehabilitation.

She said the new approach in the amended Act views individuals involved in drug abuse as clients or patients rather than criminals imprisoned for their addiction, and will facilitate the rehabilitation process by reducing bureaucratic hurdles.

“The amendment to the Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983 is a positive approach to increase help-seeking among individuals entangled in drug abuse leading to dependency, addiction, or substance use disorders, especially in Sarawak.

“They should be treated as clients or patients needing treatment and given the chance to voluntarily undergo rehabilitation.

“Recovery is possible. Incarceration or punishment in correctional institutions should be a last resort, particularly for individuals newly involved in drug abuse,” she said in a statement today.

Elaborating further, Fatimah said that through a community-based rehabilitation approach, the burden of the Sarawak Narcotics Crime Investigation Department can be reduced, allowing them to focus more on drug supply reduction operations.

Additionally, she said prison costs and burdens can be alleviated, while individuals involved in drug abuse can remain with their families, work, contribute to the economy, and integrate into the community.

“Everyone on the recovery journey deserves unwavering support and encouragement from all walks of life.

“For Sarawak, we are ready to adjust and execute the new approaches through our integrated governance, the One Stop Committee (OSC) to address drugs and substance issues, in collaboration with relevant members from both enforcement and non-enforcement agencies at the state, divisional and district levels,” she said.

Earlier, Fatimah led a delegation to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Indonesia for a meeting focusing on combating illicit drugs, organised crime, corruption and terrorism.

The visit to Jakarta is also to explore potential partnerships and exchange best practices in the field of drug demand reduction.