KUCHING: For the whole of last year, 247 school students were tested positive for drug abuse throughout the state.
According to Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth, and Sports Datuk Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, out of that number, the highest number involved Kuching with 34 cases.
“This is still a very small number but we don’t want it to grow into something bigger.
“We are not at that chronic stage but if we don’t monitor the situation and take preventive measures, it may reach that level,” he said.
Karim made this comment during a press conference after the 71st state Malaysian Drug Prevention Association (PEMADAM) Coordination Committee Meeting at Grand Dormani Rajah Court Hotel here on Tuesday.
He said that random checking were conducted at various schools across the state where they asked students to perform urine tests.
“The trend of drug abuse changes over the years and today we notice the tendency by users and suppliers for synthetic drugs.
“These are drugs that can be created by them (the users),” he said.
Karim, who is also State’s PEMADAM chairman, said that it is also important to identify the linked persons involved and that they will go all in their fight against drug abuse.
“Drugs go across the board, regardless of your race, religion, or whether or not you’re from the urban or rural areas,” he said.
Also present during the press conference was Assistant Minister of Law, State-Federal Relations and Project Monitoring Sharifah Hasidah Syeed Aman Ghazali.
