Hajiji calls for concerted response as Sabah's drug addiction cases climb
He said 9,207 drug abuse cases were reported last year, up from 8,567 in 2023.
This represents 4.8% of Malaysia's total cases, highlighting the growing issue in the state, he added.
Although Sabah's drug abuse rate of 246 per 100,000 people remains within the national target of below 400, Hajiji expressed concern over the increasing numbers observed across the country.
"While we are still within the target range... we need to intensify efforts to tackle both the supply and demand for drugs," he said during the State Anti-Drug Action Council (MTMD) meeting at Menara Kinabalu on Monday (April 21).
In response to the increase in drug addiction, the state has identified Penampang and Balung in Tawau as high-risk areas to focus on this year.
The presidents of the Penampang and Tawau municipal councils have been appointed as coordinators for these areas, with a mission to reduce drug abuse levels and increase community awareness.
Hajiji said Sabah would continue to support the success of previously targeted high-risk areas, including Likas, Inanam, and Tanjung Batu, where significant progress has been made in curbing drug use.
A key focus of the meeting was the introduction of the "Kampung Sejahtera Tanggungjawab Bersama" (prosperous village, shared responsibility) pilot programme by the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) Sabah, which seeks to foster community responsibility in tackling drug abuse.
Hajiji reinforced the need for a united front in addressing the growing crisis.
"Drugs are the nation's No. 1 enemy, and we must all work together to combat this threat for the sake of future generations," he said.
Also present at the meeting were state Community Development and People's Wellbeing Minister Datuk James Ratib, State Secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun, and newly-appointed Sabah AADK director Elmariah Chung.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Zelensky defends Ukraine anti-corruption law changes amid protests
KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky defended controversial legislative changes that strip two key anti-corruption agencies of their independence, triggering the first major protests since Russia's invasion began. 'We all share a common enemy: the Russian occupiers,' Zelensky said after meeting top officials. 'Defending the Ukrainian state requires a strong law enforcement system that ensures real justice.' The new law places the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) under the authority of the prosecutor general, who is appointed by the president. Critics argue this consolidates power in Zelensky's hands and risks political interference in corruption cases. NABU and SAPO reiterated their opposition, stating that 'unambiguous legislative steps are required to reinstate the guarantees revoked by parliament.' The law, passed on Tuesday, drew over 1,000 protesters in Kyiv despite martial law restrictions on gatherings. The Anti-Corruption Action Center warned the changes would allow the prosecutor general to 'stop investigations into all of the president's friends.' The European Union called the move a 'serious step back,' while Transparency International Ukraine accused authorities of undermining post-revolution reforms. NABU, established in 2015, has exposed widespread corruption, including within Zelensky's administration. Recent raids on NABU offices, where an employee was detained for alleged espionage, raised further concerns over institutional independence. Supporters argue political instability could benefit Russia, but critics fear the law weakens Ukraine's anti-corruption progress. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called corruption a 'sensitive topic' for Ukraine. - AFP
New Straits Times
14 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Drug abuse cases among youths rise 19.3pct in two years
KUALA LUMPUR: The number of youths involved in drug and substance abuse has seen a significant rise over the past two years, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. Based on statistics from the National Anti-Drugs Agency, he said a total of 46,401 youths aged between 15 and 30 were involved in drug and substance abuse in 2023. "This number increased to 55,369 in 2024, representing a 19.3 per cent rise, or an increase of 8,968 individuals," he said in a written parliamentary reply yesterday. Saifuddin was responding to Datuk Seri Ismail Abd Muttalib (PN–Maran), who inquired about the percentage of youths involved in drug abuse from 2023 to 2024. However, despite the increase in numbers, Saifuddin said the percentage of youths among the total number of drug addicts showed a slight decrease — from 31.9 per cent in 2023 to 28.7 per cent in 2024. He noted that Malay youths continued to make up the majority, accounting for 76 per cent of the total in both years. "Their numbers rose from 35,280 in 2023 to 42,076 in 2024." Meanwhile, Indian youths recorded 2,937 cases in 2023 and 3,951 last year, an increase of 34.5 per cent. Chinese youths accounted for 2,312 in 2023 and 2,758 last year, an increase of 19.3 per cent. The number of indigenous youths from Sabah and Sarawak involved in drug abuse also rose by 8.7 per cent and 8.9 per cent, respectively. The "Others" category recorded the highest relative increase at 40.3 per cent, though actual numbers remained lower — from 623 in 2023 to 874 last year.
The Sun
15 hours ago
- The Sun
KAPs urged to boost anti-corruption promotion efforts in Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR: Heads of lead agencies (KAP) tasked with implementing the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) 2024-2028 have been urged to intensify the promotion and publicity of their respective achievements in combating corruption. Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) National Governance Planning Division senior director Datuk Idris Zaharudin said the move was important to demonstrate the government's commitment to continuously improving governance, combating corruption, and fostering a positive perception among the public at both national and international levels. He said that during the NACS Performance Coordination Meetings held on Nov 11, 2024, and June 10 this year, MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki had underscored the need for greater promotion and publicity. According to him, NACS, like the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP), was recognised as one of the contributing factors in enhancing Malaysia's ranking in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), in line with the aspirations of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. 'The establishment of the CPI Special Task Force, chaired by Shamsul Azri, is a positive step towards monitoring and improving the country's score, while also reflecting continuous efforts by all parties, not just the MACC, to combat corruption effectively and restore public confidence in government institutions,' he said while chairing the Joint Engagement Session with 19 KAPs here on Tuesday (July 22). Meanwhile, Idris said the MACC chief commissioner had congratulated nine KAPs, including the commission itself, for successfully completing the implementation of 10 sub-strategies under their respective scopes of responsibility. 'Five sub-strategies were successfully completed in 2024, while the remaining five were completed by 30 June,' he said. On July 9, Idris chaired the CPI Special Task Force Pre-Council Meeting in preparation for the main meeting, which was chaired by the Chief Secretary to the Government on July 15. The meeting on 15 July was also attended by Azam and members of the CPI Special Task Force, comprising secretaries-general of ministries, heads of departments and government agencies, as well as representatives from Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) and appointed experts. - Bernama
