THE State Drug Eradication Action Council (MTMD) approved RM1.73 million to the Sabah Youth Council (MBS) to hold youth empowerment programmes and drug abuse awareness campaigns.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor said this was in line with the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) objective, which is the development of human capital and that youths are an important asset for the state.
Chairing MTMD’s first meeting this year at Menara Kinabalu in Kota Kinabalu on April 21, Hajiji hoped the programmes would be coordinated with the State Youth and Sports Ministry and the Sabah National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK).
Some RM464,000 was also approved for the Sabah AADK to conduct public awareness campaigns through billboard advertising in 32 localities throughout the state.
The AADK informed the MTMD that the issue of the site for the proposed new Rehabilitation Centre (Puspen) on the East Coast has been resolved. The site identified is at Mile 36, Balung in Tawau.
Earlier, Hajiji said Likas was declared a green area in 2021 following a directive for the relevant authorities to take proactive actions to free it from drug activities.
He said all efforts are being done to ensure Likas stays green.
Last year, the State MTMD chaired by the Chief Minister, identified 12 high-risk areas for substance abuse in Sabah. It was decided that attention be given to Likas, Luagan in Keningau, and Labuan (Zone One).
“This year, we will continue to focus our efforts on Luagan, Keningau and Labuan,” he said.
Hajiji reiterated that all District Officers appointed as the coordinator of high-risk areas at the district level must ensure their districts progress to green.
“As the district MTMD chairman, district officers must take action to eradicate the drug menace in their respective areas,” he said.
On the eight other areas, Hajiji said attention would also be given to ensure substance addiction and social ill issues could be controlled. He said the MTMD is an important platform to discuss drug abuse-related issues and solution measures.
“Drug abuse has remained as the country’s number one menace. We will continue to focus our efforts to eradicate this social ill,” he said.
The meeting discussed two proposals namely enhancing public awareness by the State AADK as well as empowering youth potential by the Sabah Youth Council.
The State AADK and Sabah police briefed the meeting on the status of the integrated drug eradication programme and Sabah’s drugs scenario, respectively.
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