Kelantan agrees to work with federal gov't to tackle drug-related problems: Zahid

KOTA BARU: The Kelantan government today agreed to cooperate with the federal government in dealing with drug-related problems in the state, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said a discussion with Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob at his office in Kota Darul Naim Complex here, came to the conclusion that there were three main solutions to reduce drug-related problems in the state.
"(Firstly,) we're going to use the 'Inabah' (religious) approach, whereby the state government has agreed to set up a rehabilitation centre (for drug addicts) and it will be a joint programme between the state government and the National Anti-Drugs Agency.
"We are confident that this approach will help the rehabilitation programme achieve optimal results," he said after the closed-door meeting.
The meeting which lasted about an hour was also attended by International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, who is also Kelantan Federal Action Council (MTPNK) chairman, Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, State Human Development, Education and Higher Education Committee chairman Datuk Dr Fadzli Hassan, and Kelantan acting police chief SAC Din Ahmad.
Ahmad Zahid said the state government also agreed to participate in the rehabilitation programme for prisoners at Pengkalan Chepa Prison here.
"The approach is no longer confined to visits from members of the visitors' board, but we'll also focus on improving the (inmates') 'qiraat' (recitation of the Quran), and on prayers and other Islamic religious matters.
"In addition, we have also requested the state government to continue cooperating with the police and relevant agencies, as part of the government's efforts to reduce crime in Kelantan," he said.
The deputy prime minister said the federal government was accommodative in establishing closer cooperation with Kelantan for the success of the programmes.
He said the federal government would also hold in-depth discussions with the state government on Thailand's move to bar entry without documentation at the border.
"We will discuss this matter as well as other issues such as the construction of a permanent wall at the Malaysia-Thailand border in Kelantan (in the future)," he said.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said the state government would set up a centre known as 'Baiti Taubah' in Pasir Puteh for the implementation of the Inabah programme, and it would also provide manpower in terms of experienced religious teachers, to help rehabilitate inmates at Pengkalan Chepa Prison.
"The (state) government is concerned about the problems of the community, and all parties should be responsible (in tackling drug-related problems).
"It is as though we have been attacked by this phenomenon, and we need to sit together and find ways to prevent people from being engulfed with this problem," he said. — Bernama