ALOR GAJAH: The National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) will never compromise with elements of abuse, mistreatment and bullying by operators of private drug rehabilitation centres (PPDP) throughout their clients’ rehabilitation process.
AADK director-general Sutekno Ahmad Belon said although the PPDPs used their own methods in their recovery curriculum, it does not mean they can violate regulations set under the Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983.
“Generally, AADK will not protect any PPDP registered under this Act, and if elements of bullying, abuse or mistreatment exist, it means that that centre is not for rehabilitation because it does not meet the criteria,” he told reporters after the AADK Jamai’e Iftar Programme at the Tampin Narcotics Rehabilitation Centre (PUSPEN) in Pulau Sebang yesterday.
He said this when commenting on the issue of abuse involving residents at the Eagle Land 1 PDPP in Lenggeng, Negeri Sembilan, which went viral on social media and is now under police investigation.
He explained that although AADK sets minimum standards that must be adhered to by over 60 PPDP operators nationwide, it only involves aspects of facilities, amenities, accommodation and client welfare.
“For the recovery methods, we don’t standardise them because there are various approaches and it wouldn’t be fair for us to standardise them because then it would be construed as the government wanting to interfere.
“If the method used is too harsh or abusive, we will ask them to remove it from the curriculum. If the method seems harsh in terms of discipline but the clients are willing to accept it and do not perceive it as abuse, then we have no issue,” he said.
Elaborating, he said that if there are violations or operators cannot comply with the stipulated minimum standards after reminders are given based on inspections, monitoring and audits conducted by state AADK and the headquarters, appropriate action will be taken, including cancelling the registration of the PPDP.
Regarding the issue at the Eagle Land 1 PPDP, Sutekno said that AADK would issue a reminder to the PPDP soon due to violations of minimum standards for operating a drug rehabilitation centre.
“AADK will give the management a 14-day grace period for the restructuring of the recovery centre to comply with the minimum operational standards to avoid facing closure.
“This is following inspections which found that the centre did not meet the minimum standards set for PPDP, especially in terms of accommodation, user capacity and space for activities,” he said. – BERNAMA
