KUCHING: Sarawak has gone hi-tech in its fight against the drug menace, bringing in machines that can detect drug usage visually.
All it takes for the Instant Visual Drug Detector (IVDD) machines is to scan an individual’s eyes to determine if he or she is on drugs.
And Sarawak has acquired 19 units of IVDD, becoming the first state in the country to implement this technology.
Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Law, MA63 and State-Federal Relations) Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, said Sarawak has taken a bold step in combating drug abuse by utilising IVDD machines, advanced backscatter devices for detecting substances, and handheld mass spectrometers from the police.
Additionally, she said 11 districts in Sarawak have requested sniffer dogs to be stationed at key entry points, such as airports, ports, and courier warehouses.
All this bodes well for the efforts made by Pemadam, the state anti- drug organisation which has been deemed the most active in the country.
At the state Pemadam Coordination Meeting here on Tuesday Sharifah Hasidah said Pemadam Sarawak had conducted 98 programmes throughout this year.
“These programmes were held in districts, schools, higher education institutions, villages, and grassroots levels across the state.
“These initiatives were collaborations with other NGOs like Saberkas, government agencies, and primary agencies like National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK), the police and customs departments.”
Sharifah Hasidah, on behalf of Pemadam Sarawak chairman, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said Pemadam Sarawak stood out as the most active in Malaysia, surpassing efforts in 13 other states.
“Sarawak ranks 11th in Malaysia for drug-related cases and arrests, and this includes a decline in drug-positive cases among school children,” she said.
“There have been only 35 cases this year compared to the 116 cases in 2022, as a result of strong collaboration between Pemadam, the State Education Department, AADK, and the police.
“Sarawak has allocated funding to 1,459 primary and 194 secondary schools statewide to establish Drug Prevention Education Pathways.”
Meanwhile, Pemadam is also appealing for additional funding from the government to curb drug misuse in Sarawak even further.
“The current RM500,000 allocation for Pemadam is insufficient to tackle drug-related issues statewide because drug problems are closely linked to crimes like theft, domestic violence, and even murder,” she said.
