Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution says 75% of Malaysia’s 192,000 drug abuse cases involve those aged 15 to 39, with ATS remaining dominant.
PETALING JAYA: Nearly three-quarters of Malaysia’s drug abuse cases involve individuals aged between 15 and 39, highlighting growing concerns over narcotics use among the country’s most productive age group, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail told Parliament today.
Citing national statistics, he said Malaysia has recorded 192,000 drug abuse cases, equivalent to around 560 individuals per 100,000 population.
He cautioned that the actual figure could be higher due to underreporting and undetected cases.
“The age group most affected is between 15 and 39 years old. This represents nearly three-quarters of the 192,000 cases recorded,” he said.
Saifuddin was responding to questions from Khoo Poay Tiong (Kota Melaka-PH) on youth drug abuse, online syndicates and Malaysia’s involvement in international trafficking networks.
He said district-level data showed the highest drug abuse rates in Pendang, followed by Kuala Krai, Bachok, Besut and Mersing.
He also revealed that Malaysia’s prison system reflects the severity of the crisis, with around 87,000 inmates across 41 prisons linked to drug-related offences.
“About 70 per cent of inmates are linked to drug offences, either as convicted prisoners or remand detainees,” he said, adding that in some facilities such as Machang prison, nearly all inmates are drug-related cases.
Saifuddin said the data was compiled from the Health Ministry, the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK), 47 private rehabilitation centres and the Royal Malaysia Police’s Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department.
While acknowledging enforcement successes, he said overall indicators show the drug problem remains deeply entrenched.
“The statistics do not show that the situation is improving significantly,” he said.
He stressed that tackling drug abuse cannot be left solely to AADK, despite reported rehabilitation success rates of around 80 per cent.
“About 80 out of every 100 individuals undergoing treatment are successfully recovered. However, drugs remain the country’s number one enemy,” he said.
He added that Bukit Aman’s Narcotics Division focuses on disrupting supply chains, while AADK handles prevention, enforcement support and rehabilitation.
Saifuddin said Malaysia recorded 192,857 drug abuse cases in 2024, compared with 145,526 in 2023 and 141,817 so far in 2025, indicating persistently high levels of abuse.
He also added that Amphetamine-Type Stimulants (ATS), including methamphetamine and Syabu, account for about 70 per cent of all cases, making them the dominant substances in the country.
He warned that synthetic drug use is particularly severe in East Coast states, where users have increasingly shifted away from traditional drugs such as cannabis, heroin and ketum.
Saifuddin also highlighted the emergence of fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid detected in vape liquid seizures.
He said while its presence in Malaysia remains limited, it has been classified under the Dangerous Drugs Act following 2025 amendments to strengthen enforcement.
AADK continues to operate through three core pillars: prevention, enforcement, and treatment and rehabilitation, including community programmes such as Drug-Free Village Aspirations (KABD), school initiatives, roadshows and volunteer anti-drug squads.
He stressed that enforcement alone is insufficient and said coordinated efforts between AADK, the police and Customs are essential to address the evolving drug threat.
