‘Ban ketum before any issues crop up’
Muhyiddin to raise matter with Cabinet
PUTRAJAYA: The growing of ketum in Malaysia should be banned before its use becomes widespread, said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The Home Minister said although ketum, scientifically known as mitragyna speciosa, is known to be abused by drug users, the plant is not classified as a dangerous drug in the country.
“We discussed the issue of ketum planting at length and feel that it should be banned.
“We propose that this matter be brought to the Cabinet for approval,” Muhyiddin told reporters after chairing a committee meeting with the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) and law enforcement agencies here.
“If we do not propose a ban on ketum, it could become too widespread and by then it will be too late,” he said.
Ketum is used as a painkiller as well as an energy booster, but its abuse can lead to addiction.
Muhyiddin said it was also proposed that the Inhalants Act be introduced in a move to combat the glue sniffing menace.
“Our reports show that a majority of glue sniffers are teenagers,” he added.
The Star reported in September last year that authorities were clamping down on the consumption and sale of ketum leaves by proposing to increase fines by up to 10 times and imposing a longer jail sentence on offenders under the Poisons Act 1952.
This comes as more than 14,000 people have been arrested for abuse since 2015 and large tracts of land, particularly in northern states like Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and parts of Perak, planted with the trees, many of which can be seen from the main roads or highways.
While the planting of ketum trees is not a crime, doing this on a commercial scale, including picking and processing the leaves, has been an offence under the Poisons Act 1952 (revised in 1989) since 2004.
Based on AADK statistics, Muhyiddin said between 2014 and September this year, there are 133,684 drug abusers in Malaysia, which constitutes 0.4% of the 33 million population.
He added that over 80% of that number are Malays, with 73.4% of them being youths between the ages of 19 to 39.
Muhyiddin said the matter of legalising marijuana in Malaysia was not discussed at the meeting.
However, he said Asean countries had made a collective stand at a meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam, recently to oppose the legalisation of drugs.
“So, there is no such thing as legalising drugs,” he said.