THE Pendang district in Kedah has the highest number of drug addicts per 100,000 people in the nation, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
Citing data from the Bukit Aman narcotics crime investigation department, the national anti-drugs agency (AADK), the Health Ministry and several private rehabilitation centres, he said Pendang had an average of 1,333 drug addicts per 100,000 residents.
The statistics are way higher than the national average, which is at 432 per 100,000 people.
After Pendang, the data showed that other districts with high numbers of drug addicts per population include Machang and Bachok in Kelantan, and Besut, Dungun, Kemaman and Marang in Terengganu.
“Marang (Terengganu) would top the list if we were to look at the highest number of drug addicts per 10,000 of the population instead,” he told reporters during the press conference held after the launch an anti-narcotics event organised by the Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID).
Saifuddin said a majority of drug addicts in the nation were Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia holders and came from either B40 or M40 families, with most of them unemployed or working in the private sector.
“Based on their family background, most of the addicts came from either the B40 group or the lower bracket of M40,” he was reported as saying.
“This is based on the data. I’m just sharing what we were briefed on yesterday. So, if we are to look into their economic, educational, and employment status, we can see.
“However, if you ask me why these areas (have a high number of drug abusers), I can only make an open-ended assumption at this juncture. So, please give us some time to study the matter.”
The national anti-drugs agency last year revealed that Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu were the states with the highest drug addiction rates per capita.
It previously said the government aimed to reduce drug addiction rates to 400 per 100,000 residents by 2025. – Aug 22, 2024
Main image: Malay Mail
