Malaysia's ‘No 1 enemy' is scourge of escalating drug abuse, deputy PM warns
Drug abuse in
Malaysia has reached a critical level and now poses a serious threat to public safety, economic stability and the country's social structure, according to Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said there were 192,857 drug users and addicts in the country – out of a population of around 35 million – with 61 per cent of them aged between 15 and 39, as of 2024.
'Of this number, 96 per cent are male, driven largely by peer influence and curiosity,' Ahmad Zahid said in a statement after chairing the Cabinet Committee on Eradicating Drug Abuse on Monday, Bernama reported.
The deputy prime minister said Kelantan state recorded the highest rate of drug abuse with 1,130 users per 100,000 people, followed by Terengganu (974), Perlis (965) and Kedah (898). Three of those four states border Thailand, which
decriminalised cannabis in 2022
To address the growing problem and increasingly complex challenges, Ahmad Zahid said the committee had approved the Anti-Drug Communication Plan 2025-2027.
Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at a meeting in Jakarta. Photo: Indonesia's Presidential Palace / AFP
He said the plan's comprehensive and targeted approach focuses on promoting behavioural change, increasing awareness and delivering accurate information through coordinated efforts across multiple agencies.
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