BEAUFORT: The Sabah Government has allocated RM2.3 million this year to strengthen drug prevention efforts through the expansion of the Public Sector Tekad Programme and the empowerment of the Anti-Drug Squad.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the allocation was approved during the 2026 Meeting on Action to Combat Drugs (MTMD) alongside various initiatives carried out by the Sabah National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK).
Speaking at the Madani Kita 2026 Programme and the closing of the Beaufort Bagandang Festival on Sunday, he noted that Sabah recorded 5,269 drug addicts and abusers in the first half of 2026, marking a 0.02 per cent decrease from the same period last year.
He stressed that authorities cannot afford to be complacent despite the slight drop, as synthetic drugs like Amphetamine-Type Stimulants (ATS), New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl continue to pose evolving threats to youths aged 19 to 39.
Hajiji called for a three-pronged approach focusing on strengthening family and community defences, stepping up multi-agency enforcement, and broadening access to rehabilitation and employment opportunities to reintegrate recovering individuals into society.
