Districts in Kedah, Kelantan, T'ganu top drug addicts statistics - minister

The Pendang district in Kedah has the highest rate of drug addicts per 100,000 population in the country, according to Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

He said a compilation of data by anti-narcotics bodies in the country showed that Pendang has 1,133 drug addicts for every 100,000 of its population.

The statistics are way higher than the national average, which is at 432 per 100,000 people.

After Pendang, the data showed that other districts with high numbers of drug addicts per population include Machang and Bachok in Kelantan, and Besut, Dungun, Kemaman and Marang in Terengganu.

Addressing a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Saifuddin said they are still studying why the areas have higher numbers of addicts based on granular data collected from police, National Anti-Drugs Agency, Health Ministry and private rehabilitation facilities.

He said that based on the data authorities found that more than half of them are either unemployed, self-employed or in the private sector.

Education-wise, most of the addicts are found to be educated with at least SPM-level certificates, he added.

"Based on their family background, most of the addicts came from either the B40 group or the lower bracket of M40.

"This is based on the data. I’m just sharing what we were briefed on yesterday. So, if we are to look into their economic, educational, and employment status, we can see.

"However, if you ask me why these areas (have a high number of drug abusers), I can only make an open-ended assumption at this juncture.

“So, please give us some time to study the matter," he said during the press conference held after the minister launched an anti-narcotics event organised by the Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID).

Also present during the event were Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, Bukit Aman NCID director Khaw Kok Chin, and other police top brass.

Earlier, Malaysiakini was banned from covering the Bukit Aman corporate communications unit event for supposedly not passing a security screening but was later allowed to cover Saifuddin's press conference.

Adding further, Saifuddin said the Home Ministry will utilise the analysed data to mobilise its agencies, where they will give more focus on the areas that recorded a high number of drug abusers.

These include prevention and awareness programmes by all relevant agencies and engagement with local leaders.

"We do this analysis so that it can help us plan a more appropriate and targeted approach. This is what the data is about," he added.

Bangladeshi syndicate

On an unrelated matter, Saifuddin also commented on a corruption investigation by the Bangladesh Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) into a high-powered manpower supply syndicate allegedly involving Malaysian officials.

He said the ministry took the matter seriously and would acquire Wisma Putra's assistance to get a full report from Malaysia's High Commission in Dhaka.

"I will engage with the Human Resources Ministry too as they are the ones responsible for issuing quotas (for foreign workers).

"On top of this, I will also look into agencies under us, especially the Immigration Department because visa approval and issuance are under its purview, as well as several other related agencies.

"Of course, this case is something we have to take seriously," he said.

Recently, the Bangladesh ACC launched a corruption investigation into a high-powered manpower supply syndicate.

The alleged syndicate includes four former MPs and former finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, who are being investigated for allegedly embezzling about 24,000 crore Bangladeshi taka (RM8.9 billion) in the labour supply scheme, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

The syndicate allegedly sent some 450,000 workers abroad in one and a half years but many ended up unemployed and returned home empty-handed.

According to the news website, they are accused of doing so "with the support of senior officials from both the Bangladeshi and Malaysian governments".

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