Kota bharu: Eighty percent of drug addicts who participated in the Community-Based Rehabilitation (PDK) program under the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) have successfully overcome their addiction, challenging the belief that most addicts relapse.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, AADK (Operations) deputy director-general Khairul Anwar Bachok revealed that only 20 percent of the more than 50,000 addicts nationwide relapsed, a figure notably lower than relapse rates recorded 10 to 15 years ago. He attributed this progress to the availability of specialists and various treatment and rehabilitation options, marking a significant achievement for AADK.
“There are over 50,000 addicts nationwide undergoing PDK, with 5,898 of them in Kelantan,” Khairul Anwar stated at a media conference regarding the Kelantan AADK Ops Perdana. He added that the program’s success has also been recognized by awards from the King Charles Trust Fund in London and the Raja Muda of Selangor.
In relation to the four-day AADK Ops Perdana, which commenced on Sunday, August 24, Khairul Anwar reported that 161 individuals were arrested at several drug abuse hotspots. The operation, involving 90 personnel, concentrated on the districts of Bachok, Pasir Mas, and Kuala Krai, as well as various areas in Kota Bharu known for high numbers of addicts.
Preliminary screenings revealed 157 individuals-155 men and two women, aged between 19 and 61-tested positive for drugs. Among them, six had violated community rehabilitation treatment conditions, and four foreigners were handed over to the police. Methamphetamine was the most common drug detected, with 152 individuals testing positive for it, indicating its accessibility at low prices in Kelantan.
Khairul Anwar emphasized that the operation aimed to disrupt the supply chain and eradicate addiction hotspots, especially in high-risk areas. He noted that all detained individuals would be investigated under the amended Drug and Substance Dependants and Misusers (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983 (Act 283), effective from August 22. Looking ahead, AADK plans to enhance such operations to target not only addicts but also drug and substance misusers.