They said the 2024 Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Bill had retained punitive measures against drug users and their families.
“It is important to recognise that drug use is a relapsing condition; punitive measures for relapse contradict our understanding and experience in treatment,” they said.
“People dependent on drugs may relapse due to multiple triggers, such as emotional issues, grief, and physical health problems.”
The statement was jointly issued by Malaysian AIDS Foundation chairman Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, who is also a member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy; Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Dr K Vicknasingam who sits on the World Health Organization’s expert advisory committee for drug dependence; Dr Hussain Habil who is a psychiatrist and addiction specialist with Universiti Malaya, as well as 12 others.
They also said the proposed penalties for parents of young drug users could deter families from seeking support.
Such a punitive approach risks alienating families, especially in rural areas, and perpetuating stigma, they added.
The experts were also concerned with the consolidation of responsibilities and powers within a single agency, the National Anti-Drugs Agency, as this might reduce collaboration with the health ministry.
“Given the multifaceted nature of drug use and addiction, encompassing health and social dimensions, it is critically important that health officers and social workers are included in these critical processes.”
They said that without corresponding amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, drug use will remain a criminal offence. This would lead to prison overcrowding and undermine efforts to address drug use as a health issue, ultimately deterring voluntary treatment.
Yesterday, home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail tabled the bill for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat. The bill aims to expand the scope of treatment and rehabilitation for drug or substance addicts.
The government is also seeking to amend Section 3 of the Act to allow an officer to detain in custody any person reasonably suspected of being a drug or substance abuser, among other provisions.