Kuching: Drug abuse-related arrests in Sarawak have increased by 15.75 per cent, with 11,717 arrests made this year compared to 10,122 in the same period last year. State Minister for Women, Children and Community Wellbeing Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah highlighted these statistics during her address at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly, emphasizing the state’s efforts in combating drug-related issues.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the total amount of illicit substances seized has prevented 155,204 drug uses and saved 51,400 individuals over the past month. Fatimah also noted a 13.27 percent increase in the number of people voluntarily seeking treatment and rehabilitation, with 5,316 individuals coming forward this year, up from 4,693 last year. This uptick reflects ongoing efforts to support recovery from addiction.
Fatimah announced that the state government had awarded medallions to 83 individuals who have remained drug-free for five consecutive years. She added that Sarawak’s integrated approach to combating drug abuse has garnered attention from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which has agreed to collaborate with the state government. This collaboration aims to enhance training, develop evidence-based prevention modules, and build a global network to improve intervention effectiveness.
The minister emphasized the role of law enforcement and efficient prosecution, proposing an increase in the frequency of circuit court hearings to three times a month to expedite the charging process. She also proposed adding two chemical pathology units at the Sarawak Pathology Department for the central and northern zones to accelerate pathology report generation and streamline prosecution.
Meanwhile, data from the State Criminal Investigation Department (JSJN) showed that 20 cases involving 26 arrests were made for possessing electronic cigarette liquids or vapes containing illicit substances, with a total of 1,416.15 millilitres of contraband seized since 2023.
In another development, the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) reported 107 bullying cases over the past four years, involving various age groups. This year alone, 36 cases were recorded between January and October, marking the highest to date, compared to previous years’ figures.