Pubdate: Sun, 29 Jan 2006
Source: Star, The (Malaysia)
Copyright: 2006 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd.
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com.my
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/922
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

LEE: GIVE FIRMS TAX INCENTIVES FOR HIRING EX-ADDICTS

KUALA LUMPUR: Companies employing former addicts should be given the
same tax incentives enjoyed by employers hiring disabled people.

Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye,
who called for this, said that the Government should also consider
initiating a policy to help former drug addicts seek employment and
return to society.

"We should all give rehabilitated addicts a chance to be employed and
reintegrated into society.

"These former addicts must not be condemned forever and must be given
a chance to redeem themselves.

"Failure to seek employment will lead to frustration and they will go
back to their old habits," he said in a statement yesterday.

The Government should also provide suitable retraining programmes to
former addicts so that they could be re-employed, he added.

Lee said that most snatch thieves caught were found to be drug addicts
who resorted to crime to support their habit.

He added that according to Bukit Aman statistics, only 3% of snatch
theft cases were committed by illegal immigrants, 80% snatch thieves
used motorcycles and 60% of the culprits were drug addicts with 80% of
the victims being women.

"Finding effective solutions to the drug addiction problem will reduce
the crime rate," Lee said. 
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