KOTA KINABALU: Children as young as 10 years old are now being used as street child drug pushers in Sabah, according to Sabah Police Headquarters Nracotics deputy chief DSP Tan Hock Tho.
However, the number of children involved was very small, he told reporters at the Sabah Dadah Eradication Action Council meeting at the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) here yesterday.
The meeting was chaired by Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister, Datuk Jainab Ahmad Ayid.
He said that the children involved were school dropouts and illegal immigrants.
Sabah Customs Department Narcotics branch head Richard Martin, affirmed that children were being used for pushing drugs.
A 10-year-old boy was among those held for drug offences involving syabu last year.
Meanwhile, Jainab said everyone has a responsibility to ensure the youth in Sabah do not fall into the drug trap.
“We all have a responsibility to monitor them,” she said.
She said that in order to prevent the youth, particularly students, getting involved in drugs, the National Anti Drug Agency (AADK) would be working with the State Education Department to inculcate awareness on its dangers and implications of drug abuse among students.
“Schools have their anti-dadah (drug) club but I want a more focused anti-drug programme to be introduced by AADK at schools,” she said.
This was because students were becoming the focus of drug pushers to sell the illegal substance, she added.
“Maybe they think that because of the students’ age, the state will not take action against them, and also because of their young age, the drug pushers can easily influence the students and push them into doing the activity. That is why we are working hard and focusing on the students,” Jainab said.
In her speech, she also cited several incidences that occurred in the last few months that were allegedly due to drug abuse.
“Six people died during the Future Music Festival Asia concert held on March 14, this year, due to drug abuse. At the same time, 88 youths between 16 and 35 years old were arrested at a birthday party in Georgetown, Pulau Pinang. Of the 88 individuals, 60 tested positive for drugs,” she said.
She also cited two road accidents that involved drug abuse.
She said that based on the AADK statistics, about 75 percent of drug abusers in the country were individuals between 18 and 39 years old.
“This is a worrying trend. We need to take a holistic approach to address the trend from spreading further,” she said.