ACT ON ECSTASY NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE, URGES LING

JOHOR BARU: Immediate action has to be taken to prevent Ecstasy pills from
getting into the hands of more youths, said MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Ling
Liong Sik.

He said there would be no stopping Ecstasy pill manufacturers from producing
cheaper pills in future.

"Action has to be taken now before it was too late and the problem spreads
to more youths,'' he said.

He said the manufacturers would find ways to produce the pills cheaply by
mixing in inferior products to make the pill.

"Previously it was sold at more than RM100, but now it costs about RM40 to
RM50. In no time they can produce and sell the pill for RM5.

"By then it will be too late,'' he said after an informal visit to Mentri
Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman.

Dr Ling, who is Transport Minister, said there had been a good response from
the enforcement side since MCA started its campaign against Ecstasy pills
two weeks ago.

He said with the co-operation from the enforcement side and campaigns
targetted at specific groups, operators would be discouraged from pursuing
with the business.

Dr Ling said the new amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act (Revised 1998)
classified Ecstasy pills as Amphetamine-type stimulants.

He said users or those caught with less than 5gms could be fined up to
RM100,000 or be jailed not exceeding five years.

Those with 5gms to 30gms face a jail term of two to five years and three to
nine strokes of the rotan, while those with 30gms to 50gms could be jailed
five years or more and caned not less than 10 times.

Those in possession of 50gms or more face the death penalty.