THERE are parents and community chiefs in Sarawak who “hide” drug-taking children in their family circles, deliberately preventing enforcement authorities from reaching them.
These parents and community chiefs are doing this out of fear of bad publicity and fear of punishment from the authorities, without realising they are doing more harm than good, said Sarawak Deputy Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Francis Harden Hollis.
Speaking at a community gathering in Sri Aman, Sarawak, today, he said the National Anti-Drugs Agency (Nada) had come across numerous cases where drug problems were concealed within homes in villages and longhouses.
“From the information I gathered from Nada, there are parents who refuse to refer their children who are on drugs to the authorities.
“There are also kampung heads and community chiefs who concealed such cases as they do not want people to know about the drug problems in their families and neighbourhood for fear of being embarrassed.
“Hiding these drug-afflicted kids is doing more harm to them. Their drug problems will grow into addiction, and they can become violent and turn to crimes, endangering their own families and neighbours,” he warned.
Harden said the authorities are not out to punish but rather to help those facing drug-related problems.
Those addicted to drugs will not only become prone to crimes, but will eventually suffer serious physical, mental and health problems as well, he said.
“The only way to help your kids involved in drug-related activities is to report them to the authorities who will intervene and treat them fast.
“Parents and community chiefs must have the courage to report drug problems as that is the only way to help those involved,” he stressed.
It was recently reported that drug-related problems in Sarawak had reached alarming levels, based on the amount of drugs seized and people arrested for drug trafficking, drug possession and drug addiction.
For the first nine months of this year, police in Sarawak had uncovered and seized RM128.8 million worth of drugs, an increase compared to RM9.3 million for the first nine months of last year. – The Vibes, November 12, 2023
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