SIBU: Bukit Assek assemblyman Joseph Chieng has called out drug abuse among the young in the country, saying its prevalence is alarming.
Quoting the National Anti-Drug Agency, he said the number of drug addicts in Malaysia has now reached 1,097,408 individuals.
“Out of this number, 328,640 of these drug addicts are aged between 15 and 29-years-old,” he said, adding, “when I look at these numbers, I am shocked and deeply concerned.”
According to a study in 2020, for every hundred youths, six of them are involved in drug abuse.
“Furthermore, four of them remain drug addicts. However, I believe the actual numbers are even higher because these are just statistics. So, there may be more than six per cent of our youth involved in drug abuse.
“That’s why I urge our government to take this issue seriously because it’s at an alarming level,” he said to reporters at the Anti-Drug Campaign at SJK (C) Sacred Heart here Sunday (Sept 10).
Chieng also urged the police and the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) to conduct frequent surprise checks and urine tests in entertainment centres.
“I think they should conduct checks more frequently in nightclubs and karaoke centres,” he said.
As to whether such tests should also be conducted at schools, Chieng said he supported the idea, although certain protocols need to be followed.
“To conduct such tests in the schools, we might need to get permission from the Ministry of Education,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sibu Division Chinese Community Leaders Association chairman Temenggong Datuk Vincent Lau,said that collective commitment to combating the threat of drugs and substance abuse has united them in this effort to educate, engage, and empower the community.
“The topic we are discussing today, the issue of drugs and substance abuse, is not just a concern but a critical challenge that affects individuals, families and communities worldwide,” he said.
