KUCHING: About 2,000 delegations from all over the country will attend the 43rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Drug Prevention Association Malaysia (Pemadam) which will be held here from July 31 to August 1, 2018.
According to the Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports, Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who is also the state Pemadam Chairman, the AGM would be a platform for every state delegation to share ideas and experience to tackle the issue of drug abuses in their state.
“On the index of drug problems, Sarawak is at the lower third rank compared to other states in Malaysia and we are very happy that for many years, Sarawak has retained its position.
“Although the state’s borders are wide and easy to enter from the sea, our drug problems especially among the youth are under control.
“However, we will still need to improve the situation and if possible, we want zero drug problem in the state, that is our dream” he said during a press conference after the committee meeting on the 43rd AGM of the Drug Prevention Association Malaysia (Pemadam) at Merdeka Palace Hotel here yesterday.
Karim added that during the AGM, Pemadam Sarawak would bring up the matter of regulating the selling and buying of poor man’s drug at stores.
“When our youngsters try out this poor man’s drug which I associate with glue sniffing, consuming of codeine or Nospan pill, it might not be the drugs that we know as scheduled drug.
“From thereon, they start to take things which will allow them to feel pleasure and when they feel good, somebody will introduce them to something bigger,” he explained.
He said that such was the reason for the State’s constant advocation for the inhalant to be regulated and to implement laws on regulating the selling and buying of the product.
“This matter needs to be brought up in the parliament but for some, sniffing glue may be trivial as they have bigger drug problems to deal with.
“This is my own observation, but we will still push for this matter to be regulated nicely and definitely highlight it in the next coming AGM,” stressed Karim.
The Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports added community programmes such as sports activities could be a form of drug intake diversion for youngsters.
“It is difficult for us to evaluate but so far, this approach is seen as an effective way in the State where we create awareness programmes at schools, villages and religious centres,” he said.
