SARAWAK DRUG ABUSE ARRESTS UP 15.75 PCT THIS YEAR

KUCHING, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- 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 said the total amount of illicit substances seized has prevented 155,204 drug uses and saved 51,400 individuals over the past month.

"There has also been a 13.27 percent rise in the number of people voluntarily seeking treatment and rehabilitation, with 5,316 individuals coming forward, up from 4,693 last year. This reflects ongoing efforts to support recovery from addiction," she said during her winding-up speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly today.

Fatimah also 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 attracted attention from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which has agreed to collaborate with the state government to enhance training, develop evidence-based prevention modules and build a global network to improve intervention effectiveness.

Fatimah emphasised the role of law enforcement and efficient prosecution, proposing that the frequency of circuit court hearings be increased to three times a month to expedite the charging process.

"We also propose adding two chemical pathology units at the Sarawak Pathology Department for the central and northern zones to speed up pathology report generation and streamline the prosecution process," she added.

Meanwhile, data from the State Criminal Investigation Department (JSJN) revealed 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, the highest to date, compared to 15 cases in 2022, 20 in 2023 and 14 in 2021.

-- BERNAMA