ALOR STAR: The Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) today appealed to the government to expedite the setting up of a special court to handle drug-related offences.
MCPF deputy chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said there is a pressing need to have a special court to expedite the trial for drug-related offences, as drug addiction has reached a "very serious" stage.
He said the country risks being dragged into a major crisis as drug abuse not only destroys the family institution, but also poses a grave threat to the country’s future generations as well as the economy at large.
“As we know, drug abuse is the main contributor for criminal cases such as snatch-thefts and burglaries.
“The drug abuse menace is so rampant that not only teenagers, but even children as young as seven have become involved in drug addiction,” he told a press conference after attending a meeting with Kedah police chief Datuk Asri Yusoff and his officers here today.
Lee also announced that MCPF has approved a RM30,000 allocation to fund part of the Kedah police's effort to produce a documentary, which is part of its "Jihad Against Drugs Abuse" campaign.
He commended the effort spearheaded by Asri to curb drug abuse in the state, adding that MCPF would be using the documentary as part of its education campaign nationwide, once the video is released.
In February last year, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also the Home Minister, had announced that the government would set up the special court for drug-related offences nationwide.
Zahid was quoted as saying that the court, which would be established in stages, is meant to clear the backlog of drug-related cases.