KEEP PREMISES DRUG-FREE, OUTLETS WARNED

PENANG: The Home Ministry has warned operators of entertainment
outlets to ensure their premises are drug-free or risk constant police
raids which will result in poor business and eventual closure.

Deputy Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung said yesterday the police would
raid the "drug dens'' repeatedly to weed out amphetamine-type stimulants.

He said the operators should take the initiative to weed out the
drugs, including ensuring they were not sold on their premises by
their staff or others.

"It will be good if they put up signboards and posters declaring that
their premises are drug-free,'' he said during the first nationwide
dialogue with about 300 representatives of entertainment outlets here.

Present were National Narcotics Agency director-general Datuk Salleh
Mat Som and leaders from the state MCA, DAP and non-governmental
organisations.

Chor said police would confiscate the assets of operators suspected to
be involved with drugs and detain peddlers up to two years under
preventive measures.

He said even first time abusers of Ecstasy pills would be charged in
court under Section 15 (A) of the Act which carried a fine of up to
RM5,000 or two years' jail or both.

"Imagine the humiliation a family has to undergo if a young woman is
charged in court for the offence,'' he said, adding that the police
had been lenient on first time offenders in the past.

He said the ministry would also direct local authorities to close down
outlets which allowed drugs on the premises.

Replying to a question, Chor received applause when he said the
ministry would not interfere with the closing time of outlets under
the purview of local authorities.

Penang Street Polar Cafe operator Michael Chuah complained that police
would often conduct 100% checks if operators asked for the raiding
officers' authority cards.

He proposed that the police introduced a standard operating procedure
code for officers conducting the raids.