Pubdate: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 Source: Straits Times (Singapore) Copyright: 2003 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Contact: http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/429 MALAYSIA AIMS TO WIPE OUT DRUG MENACE BY 2015 KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia has pledged to free the country of drug addiction by 2015, following reports that 70 per cent of addicts admitted to drug rehabilitation centres returned to the habit afterwards. Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi said that the campaign against the drug menace - seen as a major threat to the country's security - would involve all sections of society and be undertaken by the National Drugs Council.Advertisement He admitted that the government's efforts to combat drug abuse among Malaysians had not been entirely successful. 'The drug menace, covering the network of addiction, trafficking, smuggling and manufacturing, continues to be a main threat to national security. 'Therefore, a new approach has to be taken immediately before this gets out of control to ensure Malaysia and Asean are free of drugs by 2015. This is the approach we have taken,' said Datuk Abdullah, who is also Home Minister, after a meeting of the council. Among the strategies outlined during the meeting were: Conducting a blitz against the menace in the electronic media; Instilling an 'anti-drug' culture; Activating all agencies and non-government organisations to organise programmes that enhance discipline and morality of the public; and Tightening enforcement on addicts, traffickers and drug laboratories. Deputy Home Minister Zainal Abidin Zin said some of the new measures to be introduced this year - which the council officially declared as the 'Year of Total War Against Drugs' - would include recruiting one million students to be 'friends of Pemadam' and allowing drug addicts at rehabilitation centres to work in the private sector. Pemadam is the national anti-drug body. Datuk Zainal said: 'Drug addicts will be given training in areas like plantations and electronics during their stay at the rehabilitation centres, which would enable them to be placed with factories and offices in the private sector. 'These addicts will work at these companies during office hours and return to the rehabilitation centres once their jobs are done. 'Once they have recovered from their addiction, we would encourage these factories and offices to absorb them into their workforce or help them to go into the sectors they have been trained for.' He said allowing addicts to be employed would prevent them from going back to their old habit as many often found it difficult to find jobs or return to their families after being released from the centres. 'The addicts will be paid for their work and they will get to keep part of their pay while a small sum will be deducted by the rehabilitation centres for food and accommodation costs,' he said. Currently, 70 per cent of addicts who enter rehabilitation centres later lapse into their old habit. The country has 28 rehabilitation centres housing some 10,000 addicts. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager