Bahaya Najis Dadah...Perjuangan Membanterasnya Tanggungjawab Kita

Polis lumpuhkan tiga sindiket pengedaran dadah jenis syabu berjumlah 6.4kg yang dianggarkan bernilai RM2.5 juta di sekitar kawasan Selangor baru-baru ini.

Masalah dadah - sama ada pengedaran atau juga penagihan - ia merentasi sempadan.

Kerajaan tidak boleh melihat isu ini secara terpencil dan  sebaliknya dalam apa juga tindakan, pendekatannya juga perlu merentasi sempadan.

Menurut Pengarah Institut Jenayah dan Kriminologi HELP University, Datuk Akhbar Satar, bagi mengatasi masalah ini, negara memerlukan kakitangan atau pegawai penguatkuasa yang cukup terlatih dan berintegriti tinggi.

Selain itu mereka perlu memiliki kemahiran dan keupayaan penyiasatan dan risikan bertaraf dunia.

Memanglah maklumat yang sahih dan boleh dipercayai bukan sesuatu yang mudah untuk didapati kerana beberapa sebab.

Banyak kesalahan sukar untuk dikenal pasti pelakunya, selain tiada pihak sanggup melapor atau mendedahkannya kepada pihak berkuasa.

Memandangkan masalah ini sedang mengancam orang Melayu khususnya, perhatian sewajarnya ditumpukan kepada sindiket tempatan dan antarabangsa.

Yang bersalah perlu diheret ke muka pengadilan. Semua pihak bekuasa terbabit dengan penguatkuasaan perlu berganding bahu dan bertukar maklumat mengenai rantaian pengedaran dadah.

Menurut Akhbar, Agensi Ati-Dadah Kebangsaan merekodkan seramai 127,606 penagih bagi tempoh dua tahun iaitu antara 2013 dan 2015. Sesuatu yang mengejutkan apabila penagih Melayu adalah terbanyak iaitu 100,240 (78.54%) daripada keseluruhan jumlah penagih pada tempoh berkenaan.

Malah, membimbangkan, daripada jumlah itu  88,597 adalah penagih baru sementara 39,009 kembali kepada tibiat lama meteka. Mereka adalah pesalah berulang.

Ternyata dalam kegiatan pemulihan, masyarakat khususnya keluarga yang orang yang terdekat perlu menjadi penyokong serta  pekerja bagi membantu penagih ‘menerajang atau membuang’ amalan buruk berkenaan.

Majikan jangan bersikap salah tanggapan bahawa membuka peluang kepada bekas penagih yang pernah menjalani pemulihan sebagai berisiko tinggi dan berbahaya.

Jabatan Tenaga Kerja dan Pencen di United Kingdom berpendapat bekas penagih adalah kumpulan pekerja yang terbaik.

Berikutan itu pihaknya menyediakan skim baru kebajikan bagi menggalakkan bekas penagih dan pemabuk menyertai perkhidmatan mereka.

Malah syarikat Venturetech di Houston Amerika Syarikat pula menggunakan internet bagi membantu pencari kerja daripada kalangan bekas penagih untuk memberikan mereka peluang kedua menjalani kehidupan biasa.

Dengan memiliki pekerjaan dan berpendapatan tetap, mereka diharapkan tidak kembali menjadi penagih dan pengedar..

Cara ini terbaik untuk mengelakkan mangsa kembali kepada tabiat lama.

Untuk lebih lanjut baca kenyataan Datuk Akhbar Satar di bawah. Kenyataan ini turut disiarkan oleh akhbar The Star hari ini:

“The Drug Problem – this is our Fight!”

It is shocking to hear that the National Anti-Drugs Agency recorded a total of 127,606 drug addicts between 2013 and 2015. According to race, the Malays recorded the highest number with 100,240 drug addicts (78.54%) from the total cases during the period.

The ugliest part of this issue, out of the total number of cases, 88,597 were new addicts, while 39,009 returned to their habit.  This is called repeat offenders. One of the fundamental principles of criminology is that a small proportion of individuals commit a large proportion of crime. Data from Marvin Wolfgang's famous Philadelphia cohort study suggested that around 5 percent of offenders account for 40 percent of crimes.

There are two explanations for the high instance of such repeat offenders. First, impulsive individuals, with weak social attachments to others tend to get into trouble more frequently than less impulsive and more attached individuals. Secondly people exposed to more crime and disorder opportunities take advantage of such drug users.

Malaysian Aids Council (MAC) policy manager Fifa Rahman recently stated that the biggest obstacle to reducing drug dependency in Malaysia was the criminalising of users and the lack of support services to prevent relapse.

To be sure the Government had allocated a total of RM7.9mil from 2013 until last year for the rehabilitation and treatment of drug addicts.  The program has obviously not been effective.

Some have argued that jailing drug users is not the answer to drug problems. In most cases the offenders released from prisons did not cease the drug habit and became repeat offenders. In fact in the prison itself, the non or new drug addicts mix with drug addicts and pushers and the habit comes about or gets worse.  Many small timer drug users “upgrade” themselves to become drug pushers or dealers. Some even go  to the extent of joining the syndicates in the underground economy.

It is difficult to overcome addiction because of the stigma and label that society places on them. Most recovering addicts risks put off treatment due to facing social humiliation or fear of social consequences and legal restrictions.

A study conducted by Tam Cai Lian and Foo Yie Chu indidated that in Malaysia peer influence and curiosity were the contributing factors to drug abuse.

More studies should be conducted scientifically to find out the main contributing factors. It can be due to socio economic problems, demand and supply, weak enforcement, integrity issue, the border issues, lack of preventive measures, globalization and technologies enable drug trafficking syndicate to smuggled drugs into our country. If demand keeps increasing, there will be no end to the drug trafficking.

Since drug is a global problem, it involves transnational syndicates. These warlords have good contacts, networking and connections in Malaysia. According to the Royal Malaysian Police, from 2009 to 2015, the main drug rings are from Nigeria and China but sending drug mules to South American countries. The billion-ringgit industry involved some 30 syndicates from two dominant players – the Iranians and Nigerians. The Nigerians first recruited Malaysian women as drug mules, with 185 being detained between 2012 and 2015.

To address this problem, the nation needs well-trained and high integrity law enforcement officers and good procurement of intelligence capabilities. However, gathering reliable information is no easy task. Many of the offences are victimless, where none of the parties has any interest in bringing the matter to the authorities.  We need to pay more attention to the local and international syndicates and bring them to justice. All relevant law enforcement agencies should work together and exchange information on drug trafficking.

In terms of rehabilitation addicts need a greater role of society or family support and a job in order to survive and kick the habit. Employers should avoid the misconception that employing people who have been through rehab is overly risky and dangerous.

The Work and Pensions Secretary in UK stated that ex drug users can make the best workers. He has outlined new schemes dedicated to getting welfare claimants with drug and drink problems into employment.

In fact, a company in Houston Venturetech, is using the internet to advocate for the hiring of those jobseekers typically avoided by employers, ex-offenders and those in recovery from substance abuse. This is a good move to prevent repeat offenders.

We need to find some light at the end of the tunnel for this great evil in our society or we will all suffer the national consequences.  We need to wake up and fight.

Dato’ Akhbar Satar

Institute of Crime & Criminology, HELP University