Dewan Rakyat passes National Anti-Drugs Agency (Amendment) Bill 2016

The Dewan Rakyat on Monday passed the amendments to the National Anti-Drugs Agency Act 2004 which allows for detention centres or lock-ups belonging to the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) to be gazetted as valid detention centres for drug offenders.

Earlier, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said the amendments were aimed at reducing the burden on the police force and the Prisons Department from detaining drug addicts.

"The amendments will also separate the new drug addicts from the hardcore ones, as well as separating addicts from other criminals who are detained in the police lock-ups," he said when winding-up the debate on the National Anti-Drugs Agency (Amendment) Bill 2016 at the Dewan Rakyat sitting here.

Nur Jazlan said the amendments would also allow clinics and medical facilities to be set up at the AADK detention centres.

"For instance, the needs of the women addicts could be met because there are many women drug addicts in the country...some are even pregnant and need treatment," he said.

Earlier, Datuk Irmohizam Ibrahim (BN-Kuala Selangor) when debated the amendments said the drug addiction and trafficking problem should be curtailed as it was not a problem just in this country but also throughout the world.

"Imagine a dealer who sells drugs to hundreds of addicts. The effect is not just on the addicts but also on society, including the parents and family members," he said.

He also urged the Home Ministry to upgrade the security system at all entry points in the country so that there would no longer be rat trails which made it easy for drug smuggling activities.

Anuar Abdul Manap (BN-Sekijang) also said all parties must join forces to continue fighting drug abuse which had gripped the nation over the past 30 years.

He said although there was a campaign to combat drugs as the number one enemy of the country launched in the 1980s, the problem had yet to be effectively solved.

The sitting continues today.