Fight the drug menace together, Awg Tengah tells Lawas folk
LAWAS: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan has called on society to discard their indifferent attitude to the drug menace existing in their own backyard and join forces to eradicate it.
The Bukit Sari assemblyman gave this advice when speaking at the presentation of Raya goodies to imams and bilals of mosques ad surau by Lembaga Amanah Khairat Islam Lawas at Darul Ma’mor Mosque yesterday, his first official function there since his appointment as deputy chief minister last month.
“The problem is there and you can’t just ignore it anymore as drugs have spread to villages. Drug abuse was unheard of and the whole village would know if there is anything wrong in the past, but there is no denying that it has crept into villages, and now even teachers and students are involved in pushing drugs,” he said.
Awang Tengah, who is also Minister of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development, said they should act proactively as drugs could destroy families if left unchecked.
At the same time, he reminded Muslims to hold to the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah as a way of life to steer clear of social ills and extremism.
He lamented that violence and killings in the name of Islam had tarnished Islam’s image as a religion by certain groups.
“We have a heavy responsibility of upholding the true teachings of Islam as our way of life to correct negative perception of Islam,” he said.
He hoped Muslims would make the month of Ramadan a time to enrich their knowledge on the teachings of the Quran and a starting point to practise good values.
He said Muslims should not only fast during Ramadan but hunger for blessings and donate to the needy besides praying.
Earlier, Perkim Lawas branch chairman Datuk Dayang Morliah Awang Daud, who is Awang Tengah’s wife, in her speech said the branch was involved in propagation of Islam, including the long distance Quran learning programme, welfare and other activities.
She called on members and Muslims in the district to take the initiative to keep their surau and mosques ‘spick and span’ so they would be conducive places for religious worship.
Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Datuk Henry Sum Agong and Lawas district officer Hussaini Hakim were among those attending the function.