Help fight drug abuse: PM

PETALING JAYA (Feb 18, 2014): Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak today urged Malaysians to participate as volunteers with government-helmed organisations to assist individuals or family members who are using drugs.
In making the call, the prime minister expressed concern that drug addicts who have gone to seek assistance, especially at the Cure and Care clinics, started their habit at the age of 10.
He said the involvement of the community in such organisations as the Caring Community House and SKUAD 1Malaysia could help to address and mitigate the drug-related problems in the long run.
In this respect, he advised Malaysians to spend quality time with their families and to communicate and pay extra attention to their children's feelings and requirements, so that they will not be easily influenced by negative elements.
"The government is concerned about drug issues, which are usually caused by the breakdown of the family institution. Therefore, I would like to call on all Malaysians to ensure that our families practise a happy lifestyle.
"I strongly believe this will prevent our children and our loved ones from getting involved in drugs."
Najib said this in his message for the Anti-Drugs Day 2014 which will be celebrated today.
He said parents should be sensitive to any negative behaviour changes in their children, so that early prevention could be done as drug abuse usually begins at home.

He said Universiti Utara Malaysia's research on the economic cost involved concerning drug abuse in 2009 revealed that the government had spent RM8.65 billion on tackling drug abuse.
"If the money were spent on building secondary schools with 1,200-student capacity, the government would have built 216 schools which would benefit 259,200 students."