The government spends a whopping RM425 million a year to manage convicts in prisons nationwide for drug-related offences, reported Utusan Malaysia today.

Besides, 33,500 out of 59,600 prisoners nationwide - or some 56 percent - are behind bars for drug-related crimes.

The shocking statistics are some of the findings published in an anti-drug forum organised yesterday by the Malay daily, in collaboration with the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK), police, the Prisons Department and Malaysia Drug Prevention Association (Pemadam), among others.

"What's more worrying is that 71.3 percent of drug convicts are Malays.

"AADK figures show that out of 30,844 people arrested last year for drug-related crimes, 24,902 (or 80.7 percent) are Malays," said the report.

The over 30,000 arrests are also an increase from the 26,000 arrests recorded in 2015.

Youths also make the majority of arrests, with 22,711 of those nabbed (or 73.6 percent) last year, being aged between 19 and 39 years.

The daily also quoted Prisons Department's inmate management division chief commissioner, Nordin Muhamad, as saying that some 44 percent of inmates behind bars for drug-related crimes suffer from mental health issues.

"The Health Ministry should also play a part in treating such inmates, as there is no use in us rehabilitating them, just to have them going through relapse after being released from prison.

"Families of inmates also play a part in getting the latter to reintegrate into society. As it stands, only families of about 40 percent of drug convicts pay them regular visits. The rest feel lonely, worthless and lack the motivation to continue living," he said.

As for the expenses, Prisons Department statistics showed that the government had to spend RM35 on each of the over 33,000 drug inmate a day, which then translates to RM35.4 million a month, and ultimately RM425.7 million a year.

Education Ministry statistics also showed that 1,252 students nationwide - the majority of whom are in Form Four and Five - have been caught consuming drugs in the first four months of this year.

The ministry has identified 372 schools in the country, which are "hotspots" for drugs usage. Most of the students reportedly take drugs after playing truant or after schooling hours, posing a challenge to the respective schools.

Meanwhile, Students Volunteer Foundation (YSS) director Wan Ahmad Hazman Wan Daud told the forum that the government's anti-drug advertisements on TV and radio are "outdated", and do not reach the target group.

"Youths nowadays prefer a message given with a dose of real life experience. Furthermore, most youths go to cinema more than they watch TV or listen to the radio, so why anti-drugs advertisements are not being screened in cinemas prior to movies?" he asked.

Wan Ahmad also slammed the lack of parenting which he said leads to the drug menace.

"A US study has shown that 50 percent of youths have stayed away from drugs based on their parents' advice.

"The problem with this country is parents leave all aspects of educating their children, to schools.

"They don't care what their kids are up to and this vacant spot left by the parents are eventually filled by their peers," he said.