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THE Malay community faces greater threats from poverty and drug abuse than from the presence of other ethnic groups, PKR vice-president Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said today.
Saifuddin, who is also Home Minister, said Malays and Muslims should not regard the presence of Chinese and Indians as a threat to their community.
“I want to say that Malays and Muslims are not threatened because of the existence of other races in the country. Malays are not threatened because there are Chinese and Indians in the country.
“Malays are threatened if Malays are poor. Malays are threatened if Malays are the group most heavily involved in drug-related problems,” he said during his winding-up speech at the 2026 PKR National Congress in Ayer Keroh, Melaka on Sunday.
Saifuddin said data available to the Home Ministry showed Malays were among the groups with high levels of involvement in drug abuse and offences, making the issue a serious threat to the community.
He said the figures were compiled from four sources, namely Bukit Aman’s Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department, health centres, the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) and 47 private drug rehabilitation centres.
“I took the data from Bukit Aman Narcotics, I took data from health centres, I took data from the National Anti-Drugs Agency. Not enough with that, I took data from 47 private drug rehabilitation centres.
“I combined these four sources. I processed them according to international standards and out of every 100,000 people, 560 Malaysians commit drug offences,” he said.
Saifuddin said Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu recorded rates exceeding 1,000 cases per 100,000 population.
“This means that the biggest threat to Malays is because Malay children are becoming involved in drugs. Coincidence or not? The highest rates are in Malay states, some of which have been governed by an Islamic party for 30 years,” he said.
He urged PAS to examine the underlying social and economic problems contributing to drug abuse rather than repeatedly blaming DAP for issues affecting the Malay community.
“When you do not focus on state development, you only bring up DAP, DAP, DAP. You do not take care of things, employment opportunities do not exist, young people become involved in drugs,” he said. - August 16, 2026
