RM200,000 allocated to handle 15 remaining problem spots around the state
FIFTEEN drug hotspots have been identified in Johor and efforts are being made to clean up the areas, says state health and unity committee chairman Ling Tian Soon.
The hotspots are Johor Baru city, Pulai, Kulai and Sungai Tiram sub-districts in Johor Baru; Simpang Kanan, Simpang Kiri and Parit Sulong in Batu Pahat; Muar town and Parit Bakar in Muar; Api-api, Pontian town and Ayer Baloi in Pontian; as well as Jabi, Pogoh and Sungai Segamat in Segamat.
Ling said last year, the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) had singled out 155 drug hotspots nationwide, with 17 of them located in Johor.
“Through collaborative efforts involving various levels of society and government agencies, we have managed to clean up two of the hotspots, which are Mersing town and Plentong in Johor Baru, and eliminate them from the list.
“We are looking to tackle the remaining 15 drug hotspots.
“Initially, the state government had set a target to eliminate the drug hotspots by 2025 but Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi wants it to be done by next year,” he said when interviewed.
Ling, who is also Yong Peng assemblyman, said AADK and the related agencies had tried to speed up efforts to clean up the hotspots through awareness and outreach programmes that involved the community, leaders and students.
Ling says two hotspots, Mersing town and Pentong in Johor Baru, have gone through a clean-up.
He said the state government planned to allocate RM200,000 to aid AADK’s efforts.
He noted that last year, 14,317 drug users were detained by AADK, with 9,403 or 65.67% aged 15 to 39.
In the first six months of 2023, AADK had detained more than 7,000 drug users.
The state government also recently collaborated with the Education Ministry to run random urine tests on 3,000 students. Six of them had tested positive for drugs.
“This is why AADK will be working with schools, especially those in the drug hotspots, to identify those suspected of drug use,” said Ling.
“Of course, the suspected students’ identity will be kept confidential and if found positive for drugs, efforts will be made to assist him or her,” he said.
He also said the authorities now faced a new challenge when tackling drug use, because of the wide use of electronic cigarettes as vape liquid containing illegal substances could be poured into the device.
Meanwhile, Johor police chief Comm Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said that from Jan 1 until July 26, the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) arrested 9,787 people for drug-related offences such as drug usage, possession and distribution.
“From the arrests, we have seized 3.47 tonnes of drugs worth a total of RM27.17mil along with items and properties linked to drug syndicates amounting to RM7.75mil.
“We urge the public to report suspected drug activities to the police to help us combat the issue,” he said.
The public can call Johor police via its hotline at 07-2212 999 or the NCID hotline at 012-2087 222 or go to the nearest police station.
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Credit: The Star : Metro Feed
