DALAT: The community must unite and serve as the first line of defence in protecting society from the threat of drug and substance abuse.
Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the issue could not be addressed by authorities alone but required collective involvement.
“We must stand together as the first line of defence to protect our communities from the threat of drugs,” she said.
Fatimah, who is also Dalat assemblywoman, said this when officiating at the launch of the Community Against Drug and Substance Issues Bureau (MIDS) Programme for Dalat District at Dewan Khalidi, Kampung Sungai Kut Tengah, here yesterday.
She commended the establishment of the Community Development and Intervention Centre (CDIC) in Oya here, which functions as a community-based referral centre for prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.
Fatimah explained that CDIC Mukah was the second such centre in Sarawak after Bau, and would be used by the One-Stop Committee (OSC) on Drug and Substance Issues (MIDS) in Dalat, Mukah, Matu, and Daro.
The initiative aligns with the five strategies of the MIDS Sarawak Integrated Action Plan, which includes enforcement, prevention, advocacy, and governance strengthening.
Citing statistics, she said Sarawak recorded 6,764 drug-related arrests between January and June 2025, with 76.46 per cent involving positive urine tests.
“In Dalat alone, 31 arrests were made during the same period, with nearly all, or 96.77 per cent, testing positive for drugs,” she said.
She urged the public to step forward and help by referring individuals involved in substance abuse to available treatment channels.
“We must stand together as the first line of defence to protect our communities from the threat of drugs,” she said.
Fatimah, who is also Dalat assemblywoman, said this when officiating at the launch of the Community Against Drug and Substance Issues Bureau (MIDS) Programme for Dalat District at Dewan Khalidi, Kampung Sungai Kut Tengah, here yesterday.
She commended the establishment of the Community Development and Intervention Centre (CDIC) in Oya here, which functions as a community-based referral centre for prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.
Fatimah explained that CDIC Mukah was the second such centre in Sarawak after Bau, and would be used by the One-Stop Committee (OSC) on Drug and Substance Issues (MIDS) in Dalat, Mukah, Matu, and Daro.
The initiative aligns with the five strategies of the MIDS Sarawak Integrated Action Plan, which includes enforcement, prevention, advocacy, and governance strengthening.
Citing statistics, she said Sarawak recorded 6,764 drug-related arrests between January and June 2025, with 76.46 per cent involving positive urine tests.
“In Dalat alone, 31 arrests were made during the same period, with nearly all, or 96.77 per cent, testing positive for drugs,” she said.
She urged the public to step forward and help by referring individuals involved in substance abuse to available treatment channels.