SIX NEW FOCUSES AS NATIONAL AGENDA TO COMBAT DRUGS IN 2026 -- AHMAD ZAHID

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 25 (Bernama) -- The government has set six major focuses as the new thrust to combat drug abuse in 2026, following the latest data showing that drug seizures have jumped more than eightfold and the threat from syndicates is becoming more complex, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid who is also the chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Combating Drug Abuse (JKDM), said the six focuses include the study and reformulation of the National Drug Policy, a national anti-drug communication campaign, strengthening community prevention, stigma-free treatment, the use of digital technology and the empowerment of anti-drug personnel.

"The strategic approach is important to ensure that the implementation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's Directive No. 1 of 2024 relating to the National Drug Policy coordination machinery can be strengthened across the federal, state and district levels," he said in a statement.

Ahmad Zahid said efforts to combat drug abuse could no longer be linear, but instead required more dynamic, responsive and data-driven actions because today's threats are increasingly complex and have direct implications on security, public health and the country's social costs.

According to him, the 2025 data showed that the value of drug and poison seizures reached RM3.19 billion, much higher than RM388.07 million in 2024, involving 89 tonnes of drugs and 132 tonnes of poisons, with methamphetamine remaining the most seized substance at more than 51,000 tonnes.

Explaining further, Ahmad Zahid said this trend showed that Malaysia continued to face aggressive threats from cross-border syndicates.

He also said that the 2025 Drug and Substance Abuse report also recorded 191,832 individuals involved, equivalent to a prevalence rate of 560 per 100,000 population with Selangor recording the highest number with 25,475 people.

Of the total, 53.2 per cent of cases were detected through enforcement while 40 per cent involved treatment and rehabilitation clients in the community.

“This trend proves that the drug issue is not only related to crime but also a public health and social well-being issue, hence the government has amended the Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983 to strengthen the transition to an approach of treatment, rehabilitation and return to social function,” he said.

He said the six focuses outlined by the government for 2026 include the study and redrafting of the National Drug Policy to remain relevant to current and future threats; the implementation of the Anti-Drug Communication Plan in an integrated manner as a national movement; as well as strengthening community-based prevention through the Drug-Free Aspiration Village Programme, strengthening the Anti-Drug Squad and introducing the Junior Squad.

It also includes strengthening voluntary treatment and recovery including expanding access without stigma, expanding skills training and TVET; the use of digital technology and artificial intelligence such as the e-SMART system, MySupport and the development of the National Drug Data Centre; in addition to strengthening the Anti-Drug Scheme staffing including upgrading the National Anti-Drug Agency Training Centre (AADK) to the AADK Academy as a centre of training excellence.

The Deputy Prime Minister added that success in combating drugs cannot be achieved by one agency alone, but rather requires integrated actions from the entire government and the participation of the community as a whole.

“Each ministry and stakeholder must play a clear role, covering aspects of social prevention, education, health, welfare, youth development, housing and employment opportunities,” he said.

He stressed that the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach must be translated into concrete, measurable and continuous actions to ensure that efforts to combat drug abuse are truly implemented holistically and humanely.

The government, he said, remains committed to strengthening the country's security, well-being and future through evidence-based strategic actions in addressing the increasingly challenging drug issue.

-- BERNAMA