The government will expand the religious and spiritual approach or "inabah" to all Cure and Care Rehabilitation Centre (CCRC) in the country in a bid to tackle drug addiction.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the approach was capable of being an alternative to the current conventional method involving distribution of methadone, which was seen to have caused a new addiction side-effect.

"The inabah or the religious and spiritial approach is capable of curing drug addiction. It can also be combined with the conventional or scientific approach to increase the effectiveness of the rehabiliation programme.

"Such an approach would also ensure long-term rehabilitation, not only for Muslim addicts, but also the non-Muslims," he said in his speech during his working visit to the Sungai Ruan CCRC here today.

Also present were Pahang Cooperatives, Entrepreneurship and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Seri Shahiruddin Ab Moin representing Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob, and National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) director-general Datuk Dr And Halim Mohd Hussin.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said the approach, which has been implemented at the Sungai Ruan CCRC since 2015, was proven successful in curing drug addiction and maintaining the cure level of the trainees based on the changes in their attitudes and behaviour.

As such, he said the government would ensure that the approach would be expanded to all CCRC with allocation from the government and assistance from non-governmental organisations.

It is learnt that the AADK will expand the approach to the Perlop CCRC in Sungai Siput, Perak, and Tiang Dua CCRC in Melaka, beginning next month.

Ahmad Zahid said the responsibility to combat drug abuse in the country should not be entrusted to the government alone, but must also be shouldered by every citizen, parents and other agencies.

He said this issue must be tackled as the country aimed to be in the top 20 nations in various fields by 2050 through the National Transformation 2050 (TN50).

"It will be of no use to be in the top 20 nations with largest gross domestic product, best education, innovation and creativity by 2050 if drug addiction continues to persist," he added. - BERNAMA