MMA president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz said that under the bill, a magistrate can, on the recommendation of a rehabilitation officer, order a drug user to undergo treatment and rehabilitation at a rehabilitation centre for two years.
Thereafter, the magistrate can also order a drug user to undergo treatment and rehabilitation in a community under the supervision of a rehabilitation officer.
Noting that substance dependence is a medical and health condition, Azizan said rehabilitation officers are not qualified to provide recommendations on the management of substance dependants as they are not doctors.
“The magistrate must obtain recommendations from a doctor with specialised training before determining the period for treatment and rehabilitation,” she said.
“The question we need to ask is ‘Are officers and volunteers from the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) trained in this area?’.
“Substance dependence must be treated by psychiatrists or psychologists who have specialised training in managing addictions.
“Careful consideration and refinement by a special committee is needed before the bill is passed,” she said, adding that the home ministry did not consult MMA with regards to the bill.
Azizan also did not agree with the bill’s definition of the word “dependence”, which was loosely defined as “affecting one’s control”.
She said the accepted definition of substance dependence should come from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition), under which there are 11 criteria.
Among them are unsuccessful attempts to reduce or control drug use, spending excessive time acquiring or using drugs, craving drugs, neglecting responsibilities, and continued use despite social or personal consequences.
Yesterday, a group of drug reform experts said the proposed amendments do not align with decriminalisation objectives and may exacerbate existing issues.
They also said the proposed penalties for parents of young drug users could deter families from seeking support.
Such a punitive approach, they said, risks alienating families, especially those in rural areas, and perpetuating the stigma around drug use.
The experts also expressed concern about the consolidation of responsibilities and powers within a single agency, AADK, as this might reduce collaboration with the health ministry.
They said that given the multifaceted nature of drug use and addiction, which encompasses health and social dimensions, it is vital that health officers and social workers are included in these critical processes.
The bill, tabled for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday, 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.