PUTRAJAYA: The National Anti-Drug Communication Plan 2025-2027, set to be launched next year, will serve as the country’s new strategy in drug prevention to address the growing threat, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic).
He said the implementation of the plan would expand outreach and enhance the effectiveness of prevention efforts through accurate messaging, grounded in social realities.
It also aims to foster a collective awareness of the shared responsibility in combating the scourge, he added.
The plan considers age, drug type and geography to ensure that the approaches used are targeted and relevant to the intended groups.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also chairman of the National Anti-Drug Committee, said the approach would be translated through tailored messages for youths, adults, local communities and high-risk areas.
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“This plan will act as a catalyst for change in attitudes and social norms through the involvement of various stakeholders so that anti-drug messages can be delivered consistently, touch emotions and create long-term impact,” he said in a recent interview.
The effectiveness of the plan would be assessed through several key indicators, including improvements in physical and mental health practices, greater public awareness on the importance of resilience in rejecting drugs, the presence of healthy and caring communities that support one another, and positive sentiment towards government and National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) initiatives on social media.
“These indicators will be measured systematically through surveys, sentiment analysis and social media analytics to ensure their impact can be comprehensively evaluated,” Ahmad Zahid added.
In May, the Cabinet Committee on Combating Drug Abuse approved the plan as a holistic campaign effort on drug issues in the country, given the increasingly complex trend of drug abuse and the challenges in tackling the menace.
Ahmad Zahid also stressed that the drug issue was not solely about enforcement but also encompassed human development, community safety and national well-being.
“Therefore, the government’s current efforts are focused on strengthening the role of the family, education and the community in prevention activities and public awareness on drug abuse,” he said.
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In addition, he said the amendment to the Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983, passed in October last year, demonstrated the government’s continuous commitment to improving strategies and approaches in addressing drug addiction and abuse in Malaysia.
Ahmad Zahid said AADK had been allocated RM1.3mil annually to conduct research on the effectiveness of government policies, services and approaches in addressing drug-related issues in Malaysia.
The number of drug users and addicts in Malaysia was recorded at 145,526 in 2023, rising to 192,857 last year. Based on a population of 34.06 million, the addiction rate in 2024 was 566 per 100,000 people compared to 436 in 2023.
However, statistics for this year up to June showed the number of addicts had dropped to 134,916, with a rate of 396 per 100,000 people. – Bernama
