New drug rehabilitation law to reduce prison overcrowding: Saifuddin

KUALA LUMPUR – The government is formulating a new law, the Drug and Substance Abuse (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act, in an effort to reduce overcrowding in prisons, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the law was being drafted and is expected to be tabled this year.

“Once this law has been passed by the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara, and gazetted for implementation, cases like self-administration of drugs will be directly sent for rehabilitation programme under the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK).

“At the treatment institution under AADK, (under the new law) the offender will be placed for two years, and then for another two years at community rehabilitation centres.

“If the offender is sent to community rehabilitation centres, it will be for three years...under the existing laws, the offender may end up in jail,” he added. – Bernama, March 8, 2023