DRUG addicts will be moved to other cities under a new rehabilitation programme, said National Anti-Drugs Agency (Nada) director-general Zulkifli Abdullah.

“If someone is from Kuala Lumpur, we don’t encourage them to return to Kuala Lumpur once they register with our rehabilitation centres.

“We will move them under our watch elsewhere. To Johor, for example,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Zulkifli said moving addicts to a different city prevents them from getting in touch with “old contacts”, as well as removes the issue of stigma against them.

“Once they are fully recovered, they can return.”

Nada will also look for jobs for ex-addicts, he said, adding that the government has agreed to offer tax rebates to employers who take them in.

He said the agency is in talks with police to have drug offenders placed directly under its care instead of being sent to prison.

“We are in talks with police to possibly have addicts dealt with under the Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983 instead of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

“In new cases, they can be placed directly in our care for no more than three years.

“We can resolve two problems at once. Firstly, we can reduce the number of addicts in prison. Secondly, we can provide more organised treatment.”

The Malaysian Insight previously reported that drug convicts find it easy to buy drugs in prison.

Such offenders make up about 46,000, or almost 70%, of Malaysia’s prisoner population of 66,000.

Working with private sector

To ease the burden of rehabilitating addicts, said Zulkifli, Nada has funds set aside to support the work of privately run centres that comply with the agency’s operational standards.

“We encourage them to help. We have no issues with their knowledge and skills. However, they must follow the minimum standards.

“People pay for a desired outcome, and we don’t want them (private centres) to make false promises.”

He said these centres can apply for financial aid, but stressed that funds are limited as they make up just a small percentage of the annual government allocation.

“Our programmes require money. We hope both the government and private sector can contribute. This is our mutual responsibility.

“I also hope that big, successful companies can contribute.” – April 6, 2019.