Education Ministry never issued circular on drug-laced sweets

NILAI: Deputy Education Minister Senator Datuk Chong Sin Woon has denied that the Education Ministry issued a circular on the selling of drug-laced candy at schools in the country which went viral on social media recently.
He said such an allegation was fake and stressed that to date, the ministry had not received any complaint pertaining to the selling of strawberry-flavoured drug-laced sweets at any school.
"That (the allegation) is untrue and fake...The ministry has never issued circular (on the matter)," he told reporters after officiating the national-level 'Jom Ke Sekolah' programme in collaboration with the Royal Malaysia Police at SMK Dato Mohd Said here today.
Also present were Negeri Sembilan deputy police chief SAC Muhamad Zaki Harun and State Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Committee chairman Datuk Hasim Rusdi.
The allegation mentioned that a new crystal-like drug with the fruit smell, known as 'strawberry quick', was now available in the market and targeting the school children as customers.
Commenting further, Chong said the number of children involved in drugs dropped from 1,938 students in 2015 to 1,732 last year.
"The ministry will conduct periodic spot checks and urine tests on the high-risk group via state education departments and district education offices, together with the National Anti-Drug Agency and police.
"We have always monitored drugs 'attempt' among the school children and at the moment, the situation is under control," he said.
Meanwhile, Chong said the ministry was now reviewing the new kind of bullying case, namely cyber bully, and actions that could be taken against the offenders.
"We have received complaints in which students (alleged) to have been bullied via comments or messages (they received) over the social media that are bullying in nature.
"After reviewing on the legal aspect, we will create a new category (on the list of offences), namely the cyber bully to curb such activities," he said. — Bernama