MACHANG: Four states — Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu — have recorded drug involvement rates above the national threshold, with Pendang in Kedah and Kuala Krai in Kelantan emerging as the country's two highest-ranking districts.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the figures were calculated based on the number of people involved in drug cases per 100,000 population, using an international standard adopted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
He said Tumpat, Tanah Merah and Bachok in Kelantan, as well as Besut in Terengganu, were also identified as critical districts, with rates exceeding 1,000 cases per 100,000 population.
"These are all concerns for us, and not just for one state.
"Besides Kelantan, three other states are also showing worrying figures and an increasing trend," he told reporters after the Home Ministry's Kampung Angkat Madani and Sekolah Angkat Madani programmes at Sekolah Kebangsaan Jambu Lawar here today.
Saifuddin said drug abuse among children below 15 was also becoming increasingly worrying, while those aged between 15 and 39 remained the largest group involved in drug abuse based on available profiles.
He said the trend called for more comprehensive preventive measures, including early education and greater parental involvement, to prevent young people from becoming involved in drug abuse.
"The National Anti-Drug Agency (Nada) has three main functions — education and prevention, enforcement, and rehabilitation.
"We must strengthen public education to raise awareness and encourage families to take preventive action," he said.
On efforts to curb drug-related activities along the Kelantan-Thailand border, Saifuddin said he had directed the Kelantan police chief to ensure round-the-clock surveillance along all stretches of the border.
He said the strategy included maintaining a visible police presence, demolishing illegal jetties and enforcing the Immigration Act against undocumented cross-border movements.
However, he acknowledged that these measures could not completely eliminate the problem, as drug-related crime was linked to organised criminal networks that had been operating for decades.
"Our actions can help reduce the problem, but they cannot eliminate it entirely.
"This is the responsibility of the Home Ministry and the police, but it is not enough. It must be a shared responsibility," he said.
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