The government is studying Thailand and Singapore laws on the ban of glue sniffing and other solvent abuse which could endanger health, said Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

He said this was to ensure that such laws achieved the desired objective without jeopardising other aspects, especially the economy.

Although the ban on glue sniffing was proposed a long time ago since the early 1990s, it has yet to be implemented due to its widespread use for domestic purposes, he told a press conference in Miri today.

A study, he said, has found that more than 500 domestic items contained some form of glue.  

“The government is also taking into account another trend which has emerged, that is sniffing animal faeces such as cow dung, and goat and chicken droppings,” he said.   

On a separate development regarding the worrying increase in online gambling in the state, Wan Junaidi said the police were implementing large scale operations to curb the illegal activity.

It mostly involved teenagers and schoolgoing children, he added.   

Touching on the Miri Central police station building, he said the government will look into whether the 61-year-old premises needed to be upgraded or require a new building.  

- Bernama