MINSTRY: CHECK NIGHTCLUBS, DISCOS FOR DRUG ABUSE

MUAR: The Health Ministry wants local authorities to conduct checks on all
entertainment outlets which operate till the wee hours of the morning.

Minister Datuk Chua Jui Meng said the Government was concerned over rising
abuse of Ecstasy and Syabu pills, especially among those frequenting
nightclubs and discotheques.

"We received reports from the National Dadah Agency that some 55,975
Ecstasy pills were seized from January to September last year as compared
with 2448 pills seized in 1998.

"Although there was not much increase in the seizure of Syabu pills--about
5.410kg in 1999 compared with 6.439kg in 1998--the amount is still a cause
for concern," he told reporters here yesterday.

He said some outlets in Johor Baru were known to close at 7am.

This, he said, resulted in customers taking the pills as they wanted to
dance until the outlets closed.

He said the late closing hours were a nuisance to neighbouring residents
and urged the local authorities to put a stop to such violations.