KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 — The Home Ministry (KDN) is currently in the final stages of amending the Drug Addicts (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983 so that the prison sentence for drug abuse can be changed to rehabilitation instead of imprisonment.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the amendment process is being carried out with the cooperation of various parties such as the Prisons Department and National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK).

"Now, we (KDN) are harmonising (the process of) the final phase. If everything goes well, at the next session (Dewan Rakyat), we will present the amendment to the Drug Addicts Act and I think it will be a game changer,” he said.

He was speaking at the opening ceremony of the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) 2024 open house at the Sungai Besi Narcotics Addiction Rehabilitation Centre (Puspen) here, which was officiated by Bandar Tun Razak Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

According to Saifuddin, the amendment to the Act is made to give a second chance to addicts and reduce overcrowding in 41 prisons across the country, especially for drug addicts who are merely users.

"Within 41 prisons, we have 78,000 inmates (offenders) and when a data profile was made, it was found that most of their crimes were related to drugs, from drug trafficking to drug abuse which is a minor offence.

"So if we do not change this path, prisons will become more crowded and not conducive. Therefore, with this amendment, our hope is that as far as matters (offences) related to substance abuse are concerned, we want to decriminalise them so that they (offenders) can be sent to rehabilitation centres,” he said.

At the same time, he also said the amendment would allow drug rehabilitation officers to carry out urine tests on individuals and confirm whether they are (tested) positive for drugs, before they can be sent to Puspen (for rehabilitation).

He added that according to normal practice, the screening and determination of such tests can only be done by medical officers. — Bernama