Be ‘eyes and ears’ of authorities to curb drug menace — Fatimah

KUCHING: The local community have been asked to be the ‘eyes and ears’ of the enforcement authorities to curb drug menace in the state.

According to Minister of Welfare, Community Well being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah, by doing so, they would help to ensure that ‘their children, their neighbours’ children and village folk are not involved in drug abuse’.

“I was in Miri yesterday ( Tuesday) to meet a group of community leaders (on drugs issue). I told them our pair of eyes can see so much but if we can pull our resources together, these eyes will be able to see what is happening in the community.

“What they see and what they hear, they must report to the enforcement agencies. That can produce results and it has been proven. The results can be seen in Lawas, where many arrests are made almost everyday,” Fatimah told a press conference after chairing a special committee on citizenship at her office here yesterday.

In stressing the importance for the community to work together with the authorities, she said,’ If no one bothers to tell anything, the police sometimes also cannot do anything due to lack of information. The police can only do so much but together with the community, they can do more’.

Fatimah said an integrated and holistic approach was needed, involving all the related stakeholders such as the enforcement agencies, advocacy groups and those involved in rehabilitation works to curb drug problems in the state.

“Everyone will have to work as a team because it is through that that we can deliver a better result.”

Fatimah also stressed the importance of anti-drug advocacy and campaign conducted by government agencies and nongovernmental organisations ( NGOs) to create awareness that drugs could destroy the future generation.

In terms of rehabilitation of drug addicts, she said it could be through court order or voluntarily.

“We have NGOs...I visited a church-based rehabilitation centre in Miri. I noticed that spiritual aspect is a very integral component of rehabilitation. Those who have problem with drugs, they seek help from the rehabilitation centre voluntarily.

“I saw hope when the parents send their children there. They (children) will not have any criminal record. It’s different if they are arrested by the police.”

Apart from the drug rehabilitation centre here, Fatimah said the state government wanted to see more involvement of the community through the setting up of seven more Cure, Care Service Centres (CCSC) in the state.

“Parents also have to be very vigilant and if their children are found to be involved in drugs, even though just at an early stage, they have to do something to put a stop to it.

“Even though they (children) have not been arrested by police, the danger is that when they are not caught by police, they will continue to do it, that’s the danger. But what we want is the realisation of the individuals themselves and their parents so that they can be sent to community-based rehabilitation centre.”

Fatimah said the recent arrest of 21 police officers suspected of protecting criminal activities such as drug trafficking, was very important to the community.

“When they see action is taken, then feel it is worth for them to report (to the authorities) because action will be taken. Otherwise, what’s the point for them to report?

“Confidence must be given to the people. With that, we hope more information from our community and more of our people will be on their toes to protect their own children and people in their community.”

In stressing that drug abuse as a very serious issue, Fatimah said society should not downplay the issue even though the state is not ranked on top in terms of the number of drug addicts.

“No, we shouldn’t look at it that way. With drugs issue, if it is not nipped in the bud, will destroy all our aspirations to be a developed nation and state with high income economy because once our youth are involved in drugs, we are done.”

Meanwhile, Fatimah said during the workshop on the coordination and resolution of drug issue held in Lawas recently, the organiser managed to gather 80 people, with the presence of police officers all the way from Bukit Aman, as well as officers from the Home Ministry and other stakeholders.

“For that, we hope to be able to come out with a more holistic and integrated approach. During the workshop, we came out with a resolution on an intervention integrated action plan on the roles of enforcement and nonenforcement agencies.”

She said similar workshop would be held in Mukah soon, which is aimed at bringing everybody on board to fight drug abuse.