SUNGAI PETANI: The government will continue to support the National Anti-Drugs Agency (Nada) even after implementing drug addiction rehabilitation without having to serve time behind bars.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail today assured that the government would continue to support Nada once the Drugs Addicts Act (Treatment and Rehabilitation) 1983 is amended.
"It doesn't mean that once we amend (the Act) in Parliament and subsequently being gazetted after the agency is ready, the government will stop providing support (to Nada).
"We have a number of Narcotic Addiction Rehabilitation Centre (Puspen), trained manpower, as well as logistics support and so on. We will continue supporting them," he told reporters after presenting certificates to 185 Nada staff here today.
He added that even the agency was supportive on the proposal to amend the Act.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when tabling the 2024 Budget, announced that the government would amend the Drugs Addicts Act (Treatment and Rehabilitation) 1983 to provide a second chance to drugs addicts to get rehabilitation treatment without having to serve times in prison.
Saifuddin added that the family members and local communities play a crucial role in ensuring the success of the initiative.
He said the success of the ex-convicts employment scheme rolled out by the Prison Department could be replicated in the drug addicts' rehabilitation programme.
"At the moment, the Prison Department is collaborating with over 300 companies. Based on the numbers, it has reached a resounding success, with every 800 inmates released under the programme, only 0.3 per cent reservation rate has been recorded," he said.
