FINDING THE RIGHT WAYS TO COMBAT DRUG ABUSE

Sustained and long-term holistic solutions and approaches, involving
government agencies, inter-governmental agencies, international
communities, regional bodies, as well as families, social
institutions, NGOs by means of concerted, collective and united
efforts, are vital to combat the problem of drug abuse.

This observation was made by the Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin
Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Adanan bin
Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Mohd Yusof,
during the opening of the 17th IFNGO (International Federation of
Non-Government Organisations for the Prevention of Drug and Substance
Abuse) Asean NGOs Workshop held at Rizqun International Hotel in Gadong.

The problem of drug abuse has been proven to be one of the greatest
challenges facing mankind, and it affects, not only the individuals,
but also their families, the nation and the whole society, said the
Minister.

He applauded the efforts of community and voluntary initiatives, such
as IFNGO, to complement government organisation in the prevention of
drug abuse, thus emphasising the spirit of partnership between
non-government organisations and government organisations working
closely at national, regional and international levels.

"I believe holding these annual IFNGO Asean Workshops in Asean have
not only highlighted the role of anti-drug NGOs in collaborative
alliances with government organisations in developing, implementing,
monitoring and assessing drug abuse prevention and control programmes
in the demand reduction strategy, but have also contributed to the
development of our social and community consciousness," said the Minister.

The presence of representatives and experts from the Asean NGOs, and
also from the USA, the Colombo Plan, Macau, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Hong
Kong, and the UN office of Drug Crime for the 17th IFNGO Asean NGOs
Workshop, signifies collective concern, sheer commitment and
dedication to combat drug menace together, he said.

He also applauded the local youths and students for participating in
the Youth Forum, with the theme of the 2007 United Nations
International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, as this
demonstrated their recognition of the seriousness of drug abuse, and
its effects on them and their future.

On the theme of the workshop, "Overcoming the Incidence of Recidivism
for Asean Drug-Free 2015", the Minister noted that it was appropriate
and timely as recidivism is a concern, and its prevention should be
prioritised by treatment and rehabilitation professionals and
relevant agencies.

He said, "The burden caused by former addicts relapsing falls not
only on the family, but also on the community. The root causes of
relapse, its prevention and aftercare needs must be re-assessed as
these are necessary for the success of any programmes."

With regards to achieving a "Drug-Free Asean 2015", the Minister said
that all sectors of the government and the community should work
together in order to achieve this goal through teamwork, networking,
cooperation within the country itself and among members of Asean
countries, as well as relevant international agencies and
organisations.

According to the Minister, at the recent 6th Asean Ministerial
Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) on November 5 to November 8,
it was agreed that to achieve a Drug-Free Asean 2015 within the
broader Asean community, cross-sectoral linkages among existing
regional and extra-regional mechanisms need to be further
strengthened and coordinated.