ZAINAL - ALL SHOULD SAY NO TO DRUGS

KUALA LUMPUR -- It may be a different war, but all Malaysians are called to
arms in the battle against Malaysia's number one enemy, drugs.

Launching a campaign to rid all schools of drugs by 2013 and the whole
country by 2015, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Zainal Abidin Mat Zin said the
fight was the responsibility of all Malaysians.

"The campaign against drugs should be made an on-going war by everyone,
from the schools and parents, to government institutions and NGOs. It
should also be included in discussions of national security matters," he said.

Speaking the launch of the "Say No to Drugs" exhibition in the National
Library, he said programmes for this campaign were planned to ensure a
drug-free Malaysia by 2015.

"This is the only way to guarantee success and eradicate drug abuse
completely," said Zainal.

He lauded the National Library's endeavour to educate the public,
particularly the young, on the dangers of drugs, the types of drugs
available and steps to prevent their abuse.

From January to October last year, the National Drugs Agency recorded a
total of 25,637 drug addicts. This indicated a growth in the total drug
addict population, which is about 1% of the country's 23 milllion people.
Of these, 53% were new cases while 47% were relapse addicts.