Youth Parliament wants government to improve laws on drug enforcement, eradication

Members of the Malaysian Youth Parliament on Wednesday passed a motion urging the government to improve the laws on enforcement and eradication pertaining to drug abuse among youths.

The motion was tabled by Security, Law and Integrity Committee representative, Muhamad Nur Aizat Noor Azam, and was unanimously approved by the members.

Muhamad Nur Aizat, when proposing the motion, said the Drug Dependence (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983 must be improved to ensure youths would not be trapped by drug abuse.

He said the improvement must cover the rehabilitation aspect to give a second chance to former drug addicts to redeem themselves.

"The government must combat drugs comprehensively but at the same time we must give a second chance to youths who had succumbed to the lure of drugs so they could improve themselves.

"This does not mean we encourage them to consume drugs but we only remind them not to be afraid to change and improve their lot," said the representative from Kedah.

Muhamad Nur Aizat also suggested that a Special Drug Court be set up to speed up and facilitate the settlement of drug cases in the country.

"Malaysia can use the models of courts used in the United States and Australia as references," he said.

He said Malaysia had a high number of drug cases to be dealt with and as such it was time the government set up the special court.

Another representative of the Security, Law and Integrity Committee, Mohd Rizmel Nazrin Abdul Malik from Perak wound up the the debate on the motion before it was agreed upon.