THE country has recorded a total of 135,000 drug addicts as of 30 June 2025, a figure Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail described as "deeply worrying".
Speaking at the launch of the Madani Adopted Village and School Programme by the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) in Kampung Keluang on Saturday, Saifuddin stressed the government’s commitment to significantly reducing drug dependency through a three-pronged approach involving prevention, rehabilitation, and enforcement.
"Even 10 drug addicts would be concerning, because it represents a loss of human capital. Our strategy is to bring this number down meaningfully," he said.
Citing figures from the Ministry of Health (MOH), Bukit Aman’s Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department, AADK, and the Narcotics Addiction Rehabilitation Centres (PUSPEN), Saifuddin said Kelantan tops the list for drug abuse cases, followed by Terengganu, Perlis, and Kedah.
He attributed the high numbers in these four states to their proximity to the Thai border, which facilitates drug trafficking and access.
"In these states, around 60 per cent of drug consumption involves methamphetamine and 'pil kuda'. In terms of user profile, most fall between the ages of 15 and 35 — a critical and productive age group," he said.
"If not involved in substance abuse, they could be contributing to our approximately 17 million-strong productive workforce. Sadly, that potential is being lost."
Saifuddin also highlighted that the majority of addicts had education levels of SPM (Malaysian Certificate of Education) or below, and most were unemployed.
To address the issue, he said the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN) continues to support AADK with an annual allocation of approximately RM400 million, part of which goes toward managing and maintaining 30 rehabilitation centres across the country.
AADK currently oversees around 53,000 clients, including those undergoing rehabilitation in community settings and institutional facilities. In addition, between 11,000 and 12,000 individuals fall under the purview of the Health Ministry, while about 2,000 are under private PUSPEN centres.
"These combined efforts, while not a complete solution, help to mitigate the impact of drug addiction across the nation," he added. - September 13, 2025
