Sibu Resident calls for united effort to check drug abuse
SIBU: Sibu Resident Hii Chang Kee is appealing for a concerted effort to eradicate the drug abuse menace in this division.
Hii, who is the chairman of Drug Eradication Action Council ( MTMD) Sibu, said full cooperation from various community leaders, government agencies and non- governmental organisations ( NGOs) is needed to make sure society is free from drug abuse.
He said the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) has registered a total of 1,208 cases of Persons Under Surveillance (Orang Kena Pengawasan or OKP) in Sarawak until March this year.
While Sibu Division has registered 97 cases, 96 cases are from Sibu District and one case is from Selangau District, he said.
“Out of these OKPs, one OKP is under 18-years- old, 23 OKP are between 19 and 25, while 61 OKP are between 26 and 40 and 12 OKP are between 41 and 60.
“From the fi gures, most of the OKPs are youths between the age of 19 and 40 who are supposed to be the pillars of tomorrow.
“These figures serve only as an indication of the worrying trend of drug abuse in our society.
“The important mission is to combat the menace and render our society drug free as we move towards a developed state,” he said before flagging off participants of the Victory Charity Night Run 2017 event at Sibu Town Square here recently.
Hii said society has never been short of campaigns to prevent and eradicate drugs abuse.
“However, the time has come that we must realise that conventional approaches to prevent drugs abuse such as giving out flyers and organising educational talks are no longer sufficient.
“We must change our approach and take concrete measures to educate and empower the community on drug abuse prevention.
“Rather than relying mostly on the government and enforcement agencies, we need to empower our communities in our combat against drug abuse,” he said.
He added that the community empowerment approach involves creating awareness within the community on various aspects of drug use, including the effect of drugs on individuals, families and the community and the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation options available.
Community empowerment programmes can be done successfully if everyone has the same objective, which is to fi ght drug abuse, he said.
He said MTMD Sibu is working very closely with AADK Sibu to organise a ‘ Symposium on Community Empowerment on Drug Abuse Prevention’ in July this year.
He hoped to involve community leaders, village security and development committees (JKKKs), neighbourhood watch committees ( KRTs), religious organisations, parent-teacher associations and NGOs so that they have the knowledge and information on how to conduct prevention programmes continuously.