Why this hypocritical noise over the sale of beer. I wonder, is that really a problem? I am 60 and have Muslim friends, many Muslim friends who used to smoke, drink and make merry, they even had girlfriends they used to date freely and vice versa, today most of them have stopped drinking, today some of them smoke and most of them have kicked the habit - it's my Muslim friends I am talking about.

Today I see many Malay boys, they make up 90 percent of the drug addict problem in this country, they are hooked on heroin, and from my own experience working with them in 1996, I have found out that this habit, which is the scourge of the nation, is the big menace, not drinking and smoking or going out with your girlfriend or friends as the case may be.

In spite of the death sentence, these boys still get their fix and the drug trade flourishes in Malaysia unabated.

In 1996, I took about 100 boys from the Pusat Serenti in Tampin to work at the factory where I was the Head of HR. We brought them in, we placed them in hostels just by the plant, we had a warden to look after them. And besides my own personal attention and that of one of our own in house wardens, I was, I thought on a mission to get these boys to kick the habit and turn over a new leaf, I was very committed to this ideal, I was looking forward to pull this project through.

The commandant of that Pusat Serenti saw that in me, one Major Mohammed, he sat me down, and he warned me that these boys were very difficult to rehabilitate, he even told me, 'sir if you can rehabilitate at least two or three you are good, if you get one to kick the habit, be very happy because that is a huge success.'

I told him off, I did not like his negativity, I told him I was shocked about his attitude, and the good Major a seasoned army man patiently continued, "you see sir" he said, "I see the enthusiasm in you, it is you I am worried about, I do not want you to get depressed about this and this is real, take my advice, but carry on, you are doing a good job."

All those who have worked with drug addicts will tell you the Major was right, he was very right, I had these boys for only a period of about six to eight months. The Home Ministry decided to end the programme, I went there and demanded an explanation, I fought and got my boys to stay for a further three to six months as the ministry was releasing them in stages, then as they were being released from detention I saw with my own eyes what happened.

I'll not go into the decision of the ministry to release these boys from detention at that stage, its technical, it and it is very subjective.

The very first day the first boy in my charge was released from detention, he took a bus to KL and got his long awaited shot, he was caught on his return by the warden and was sent back to the Pusat. This chap was from Terengganu I remember, he did not know KL, but when he wanted his shot he knew exactly where to go on the first day, and if these guys have such a powerful network what are our authorities doing? Their priority I think is to catch these boys who drink or go out with girlfriends.

Why is the 'Mat Rempit' problem growing, is it really a surprise? These youth need the experience of growing up, they are at a stage of their lives where they need to be free to try and learn from their mistakes and experiences, stop them from what comes naturally, or what we have accepted as social norms and they'll fight you with all they have got, and that is the "Mat Rempit."

Surprised?

No I bet not, all the Umno bigwigs know this, that is why there is no real attempt to stamp out the Mat Rempit, its all political, totally political, The 'Mat Rempit' is crying out to be understood, crying out for recognition of his adulthood, his right to make choices, is crying out for his own freedom and no one cares to listen.

It's so political they can send battalion after battalion of police personnel to attack innocent marchers who march for civic and moral causes, but can't find the numbers to wipe out this scourge of drug addiction, to study in depth the 'Mat Rempit' problem and understand it to address it positively.

This government is more interested in its political power, it does not really understand the social issues it has given birth to by politicisation, racialism and by inadequate and unqualified leadership and corruption.