By: Media and Corporate Communication Unit

SUNGAI PETANI, Nov 5, 2023 – The Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) is ready to meet the needs of the National Anti-Drugs Agency (NADA) when the sentence for drug abuse offenders is changed from prison sentence to receiving treatment and rehabilitation program.

The honourable minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said, through the amendment of the Drug Addicts (APD) (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983, his party is ready to manage all the relevant requirements including the logistical aspects of NADA, staffing and other key requirements.

He said, NADA itself currently welcomes the proposal to amend the relevant act which at the same time, indicates the level of readiness of the agency in implementing any changes that will be made hereafter.

“We will continue to support in accordance with the amendments that will be made. We have a number of Narcotics Addiction Recovery Centers (PUSPEN), there are NADA rehabilitation officers or trained staff, logistical support needs and so on which will always be the focus,” he said during a brief interaction after 2nd NADA Certification Program Commissioning Ceremony at the NADA Training Center here, on Sunday.

During the presentation of the 2024 Budget, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, said the government would amend the APD (Treatment and Rehabilitation) 1983 to give addicts a second chance to seek treatment and to recover from addiction without being put in prison.

Furthermore, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution said that the role of the community, including family members of addicts, is very important, despite the government’s efforts to combat drug abuse, including by amending related bills.

“The government can amend APD, but there is an important component and stake factor involved, which is not only effect families whose members are involved in drug problems but the community as a whole,” he said.

Earlier, he was present to bestow the PPA accreditation certificate to 385 NADA officers who successfully completed the three PPA programs namely the Preventive Education Practice Certificate (CPE), the Treatment and Rehabilitation Practice Certificate (CPP) and the Enforcement Practice Certificate (CEP) for the three core services namely Treatment and Rehabilitation, Anti-Drug Prevention and Enforcement Education.

Also present were Deputy Secretary General (Security) of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Datuk Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman; Director General of NADA, Mr. Sutekno Ahmad Belon; Deputy Director General (Management) of NADA, Puan Shobah Jamil and Deputy Director General (Operations) of NADA, Tuan Khairul Anwar Bachok.