Rumah Nyudang longhouse residents visiting the anti-drug exhibition.
FAMILY support, especially from parents, is vital to ensure drug addicts are rehabilitated and lead a normal life again, says Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
“It is not an act of persecution, rather it is to help rehabilitate your children so that they recover from the addiction and become useful members of society after leaving the rehabilitation centre.
“They need to be given the opportunity to change, rehabilitate themselves and start a new life in order to be able to give back to their family and society,” said Tiong at an anti-drug “Kampungku” programme with the Dayak community of Rumah Nyudang in Sibu, Sarawak.
His speech was read out by deputy Sibu district officer Cynthia Ong Hshiang Ping.
Accepting addicts would be the main determinator of whether they changed and stayed away from drugs or became repeat addicts, he added.
“We find every year there are new addicts, especially among teenagers, whether they are still in school or are school-leavers,” said Tiong, who is Dudong assemblyman.
“The saddest thing is when there are students of higher education institutions who are also caught up in this addiction,” he said.
He called on all Malaysians, especially those in his constituency, to always take care of their families by practising healthy habits and lifestyle.
“Always be concerned and sensitive to changes in children so that they are spared from drug abuse.
“Let us become a caring community by becoming volunteers of the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) so that we can help more victims of drug addiction out there,” he added. — By ANDY CHUA
