AADK: 559 drug offenders in Q1 2025 hold degrees, including PhDs

BUTTERWORTH: A total of 559 individuals, or 0.5 per cent, of those arrested for drug abuse in the first quarter (Q1) of this year, held bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral (PhD) degrees, while 2,323 others, or 2.1 per cent, were diploma holders, according to data from the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK).

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said that these individuals were involved in abusing various substances, including synthetic drugs and traditional drugs, such as marijuana and heroin. Most of them were young adults, aged between 19 and 40.

The data also showed that 503 drug addicts held the Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM), 41,743 were Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) holders, while 30,016 had attained secondary-level education, such as the Lower Secondary Assessment (PMR) or its equivalent.

“A total of 9,736 addicts had only primary school education, while 21,057 had no formal education. Youths aged 15 to 40 continued to make up the largest group of drug users nationwide, with 65,264 individuals, or 60.2 per cent, recorded between January and March 2025.

“These individuals are supposed to be the nation’s future, but they are caught in the grip of drug addiction. This is very alarming, especially as we are also seeing involvement among schoolchildren. For the same period, 23 students aged 14 were found to be involved in drug abuse.

He said this after attending the joint engagement session between AADK and the Malaysian Drug Prevention Association (Pemadam), here, today. Also present was Penang Youth, Sports and Health Committee chairman, Daniel Gooi Zi Sen, who is also the state Pemadam chairman.

He said that AADK is now focusing on the prevention of drug addiction activities, because it not only damages the country’s future generations, but also requires high expenses to treat it, and the agency spends RM51 per day for each PUSPEN trainee.

Meanwhile, in another development, Shamsul Anuar, who is also the national PEMADAM president, said that AADK is conducting an internal investigation into the incident in which six male trainees from the PUSPEN in Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan, escaped from the centre early Tuesday morning.

He said that AADK headquarters, together with its Negeri Sembilan branch, has launched an internal investigation to examine all aspects of the incident, including identifying its cause.

“I was informed that six trainees at PUSPEN Jempol escaped, and so far, five have been successfully recaptured, while one remains at large and efforts are ongoing to track him down,” he said.

“Once the investigation is complete, appropriate corrective actions will be taken, based on the findings,” he said.