3 Oct 2015
The Malaysian Anti-Drugs Association (Pemadam) sees an urgent need for a new law for ketum offences to curb rampancy among the society in the country.
Pemadam chief Datuk Mohd Johari Baharom who is also deputy defence minister noted that an amendment bill to define ketum as a drug in the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 had earlier been tabled in the Dewan Rakyat.
"However, the motion was deferred when some members of parliament suggested that the bill be further refined and improved.
"Many MPs are in favour of a separate law for ketum rather than it be part of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952," he told reporters after a dinner to mark Pemadam's 40th anniversary, which was attended by 1,700 delegates last night.
Also present at the function were Pemadam's secretary general Datuk Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah and its Pahang Coordinating Committee chairman Datuk Dr Ahmad Shukri Ismail. The deputy minister said Pemadam was also prepared to set up a committee to draft a new bill that would have a real impact on the society.
"We have experts in issues related to ketum and hopefully the committee can realise the desire of the grassroots who want the offences curbed," he said.
According to him, ketum which originates from a wild plant had been drawing undue attention to the extent that some members of the community had started planting it on a large scale.
"Ketum have been made into powder and sold in the form of pills rampantly through the internet. This is what we want to stop because it could have an adverse effect on the community particularly the youth," he said.
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