PETALING JAYA: Drug abuse among children under 15 is becoming increasingly worrying and requires more comprehensive prevention efforts, says home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
Saifuddin said those aged between 15 and 39 made up the largest group of people involved in drug abuse, based on their profiles, Bernama reported.
He called for earlier intervention to address the problem, including better education and greater parental involvement.
“Public education efforts must be strengthened to raise awareness and encourage families to take preventive action,” he told a press conference after a home ministry programme in Machang, Kelantan, today.
Saifuddin said Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu recorded drug-related case rates above the national threshold, based on figures per 100,000 population.
Pendang in Kedah recorded the highest rate in the country, followed by Kuala Krai, Kelantan.
Other districts identified were Tumpat, Tanah Merah and Bachok in Kelantan, as well as Besut in Terengganu, all of which recorded rates exceeding 1,000 cases per 100,000 population.
Saifuddin stressed that cooperation between his ministry, the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK), the police, and state governments was crucial to intensifying awareness and prevention programmes in the affected areas.
These efforts would include community outreach programmes to educate the public and raise awareness of the dangers of drug abuse.
Immigration depots facing capacity pressure
Saifuddin said immigration depots nationwide were facing capacity pressures because of daily enforcement operations against undocumented migrants.
The depots had a combined capacity of about 20,000 people, but the steady influx of detainees had led to overcrowding.
He attributed the increase in detainees partly to the immigration department’s efforts to map areas with high concentrations of foreign nationals, based on data collected and analysed from enforcement operations nationwide.
“The mapping exercise enables the authorities to identify areas frequently used by foreign nationals as settlements or gathering places.
“Those detained may include individuals without travel documents, those with expired passes, those who have misused their passes, or those with refugee status,” he said.