KUALA LUMPUR: The alarming involvement of children as young as 10 in drug abuse underscores the critical need to prioritise prevention over mere enforcement.
Alliance for a Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye stated that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s recent disclosure reflects the severe state of Malaysia’s drug problem.
Lee emphasised that drug abuse now affects children at an age when they should be focused on education and family.
“This situation demands urgent attention and a stronger response from all quarters,“ he said in a statement today.
He asserted that enforcement alone is insufficient and prevention must become the top priority.
Comprehensive drug education should start early in schools alongside community-based awareness programmes.
Accessible counselling and rehabilitation services must also be strengthened to support at-risk children.
Society must create a safe environment free from drug pushers and syndicates targeting the young.
Lee stressed that stronger collaboration between authorities and communities is essential.
He emphasised that the drug crisis constitutes a national social issue, not just a law enforcement problem.
“If children as young as 10 are already trapped in addiction, then our future is at stake,“ he added. – Bernama