MAF chairman Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman said the task force should comprise stakeholders from various government departments and civil society, including experts, human rights groups and religious bodies, to ensure that the nation’s drug policies are based on data and evidence.
Adeeba, the only Malaysian commissioner in the Global Commission on Drug Policy, said there had been minimal engagement by the home ministry on its plan to amend the Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983 (Act 283) in Parliament.
“There has been a lack of consultation with field experts, treatment specialists, NGOs like MAF, or community-based facilities such as Pengasih.
“Alongside the advisory board of MAF’s Drug Policy Programme, we urge the home ministry and National Anti-Drugs Agency to foster meaningful dialogue with civil society and experts to ensure effective drug policy reform in Malaysia.
“To uphold the principles of Malaysia Madani, all stakeholders impacted by drug policy changes should contribute their insights. Evidence, data, and on-the-ground experiences must inform our approach,” she said in a statement today.
Last week, home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said his ministry was in the final stages of formulating its proposed amendments to Act 283.
Saifuddin said the ministry hoped to decriminalise drug use by sending abusers to rehabilitation centres rather than prisons, adding that the bill could be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat at the upcoming session next month.
The new legislation is expected to be called the Drug and Substance Abuse (Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act, and will replace Act 283.
Meanwhile, Adeeba maintained that offenders must not be made to undergo mandatory rehabilitation, saying this approach had proven to be largely unsuccessful.
She added that drug dependence treatment should not be standardised but should involve diverse approaches, from in-patient care, community-led rehabilitation and government-run programmes to voluntary support groups.
“Mandatory treatment services have shown to produce very little results while costing the government a huge amount. Scientific evidence indicates that only 10% to 20% of people who use drugs become addicted or dependent.
“Mandatory rehabilitation for all would adversely impact the majority who are either experimenting or using drugs recreationally. We must broaden treatment and support modalities to cater to varying needs,” she said.