'1 in 100 is a drug addict in Terengganu'

KUALA TERENGGANU - A recent revelation that Terengganu hosts the highest number of drug addicts in the country has left PAS's international liaison chief Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad questioning the state government's commitment to fight the drug scourge.

The state police recently said there was a ratio of one addict for every 100 people in the oil-rich state, which has a population of 1.2 million.

“So, who should be blamed? Should we blame only our youth? Or should we blame the parents? How about the role played by Menteri Besar, Ahmad Said, who is willing to spend more than RM2.2 billion a year for Terengganu state development?” asked Dr Syed in his weekly column in Harakahdaily, "Terengganu Menangis".

'Felda areas are hot spots'

State narcotics Crime Investigation Department chief Roslan Abdul Wahid had earlier said that some 10,000 drug addicts were arrested last year, topping even cities like Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

“The figure shows the problem of drug addiction in the state is very serious and requires the attention of the authorities and the people of the state,” said Roslan.

For the first three months of 2010, there had been a 31% percent increase of drug users from the same period last year, totalling 3,791 offenders.

There were also 97 arrests made involving drug dealers in the first quarter of this year, or 11 percent more than the same period last year.

Roslan said most drug addicts were between 20 and 40 years of age, and named Felda areas as hot spots for drug collection and distribution.

Dr Syed meanwhile said it would be useless for the state government to focus solely on material development while neglecting the people's human development.

“The question is what is the plan and future for Terengganu’s next generation,” he said, and warned that the state government should not spread material development for political mileage at the cost of the society.

- Harakahdaily