Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today announced an annual allocation of RM10 million to the Drug Prevention Association (Pemadam) and various anti-drug NGOs.
Zahid, however, said the allocation for the latter will be withdrawn if it cannot show a 50 percent drop in cases of drug addiction.
“There will be an allocation from the National Anti-Drugs Agency to NGOs around the country.
“An RM5 million allocation, which will not require an application letter, will be given to Pemadam.
“Another RM5 million will be distributed to NGOs, as well as anti-drugs clubs in schools and universities.
“If the number of drug abuse cases are not reduced by 50 percent by December next year, I will remove the allocation from all the NGOs,” he said, while officiating the Pemadam general assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur today.
Also present at the event was Pemadam president Nur Jazlan Mohamed (photo), who is also Zahid’s deputy at the Home Ministry.
Zahid also noted in his speech that all parties involved in the war on drugs have to admit their failings, but added that this was no cause of embarrassment, as drug abuse is an international phenomenon.
“We have to conduct muhasabah (introspection) as to why we have failed to tackle drug abuse.
“This failure is commonly pinned on the government, associations fighting drugs and so on.
“But what about the institutions of family and community?” he asked.
The government has to be wiser in fighting drug abuse, he said, by also focusing on the manufacturing and distribution of illegal substances.
“We are failing because we see the tail and the trunk of the elephant, but not the body.
“A more holistic approach must be taken. Starting today, aside from putting aside our differences, we have to take drastic action,” he said.- Mkini
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