KOTA SAMARAHAN: Community leaders play a pivotal role in providing better understanding of the dangers of drugs among villagers through awareness programmes.
Samarahan district officer Anuar Da’an said penghulus, for example, should convince local youths to participate in these programmes to curb rampant drug-related issues in villages, here.
“There are a lot of youths (involved in drugs) who are actually good people influenced by their peers.
“So community leaders can craft ways at the village level to raise awareness, and with the MIDS bureau, allocations can also be channelled for this purpose,” he said in his speech at the appointment of penghulus in-charge of the Bureau to Address Drugs and Substance Issues (MIDS) for areas under Samarahan and Asajaya districts, today.
Out of the 1,883 individuals currently undergoing drug rehabilitation throughout the state, 208 of them are from the Samarahan Division.
Anuar said of the 208 individuals, 107 are from Samarahan district, Asajaya district (65), Simunjan district (20), Gedong (four) and Sebuyau district (one).
“Of the total in Sarawak, 84.5 per cent of those undergoing rehabilitation are youths, including schoolchildren,” he said.
He urged local community leaders to take part in mitigating drug-related issues among villagers under their care.
“We hope that those appointed can play their role in helping us combat this issue.
“Their participation in creating awareness programmes will also ease the burden of existing agencies in charge of spreading awareness on the danger of drugs,” he added.
