KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — The Royal Malaysian Police have recommended to the government that the National Drug Policy be amended by adding an element of drug trafficking in the holistic battle against dangerous drugs.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the proposed amendment was also aimed at ensuring petty drug dealers be detained for a longer period of time to cripple their activities.

He said the current National Drug Policy was more focused on prevention of drug supply and restriction on drug entry.

"Currently, the Dangerous Drugs Act (Special Preventive Measures) 1985 is solely used against drug barons, but not petty (drug) dealers.

"Thus, they (petty drug dealers) are free to move, and if arrested and convicted, it is just for a short time and later they are free to carry out their activities,” he told reporters after attending a public lecture programme here today.

Elaborating, Khalid said the proposed amendment had been tabled at department and home ministry levels and it was being studied because it would involve infrastructure costs due to the increase in the number of detention centres.

"We may also need to ask the court to immediately put the case on trial so that it can be resolved and the activities, contained,” he added.

Khalid said the first, second and third schedules under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 was not keeping to the times because today’s ‘experts’ in drug processing were more devious in producing new drugs.

"I think this is typical in many countries, they will create (new) drugs which prevents them from being subjected to any legal action...the drugs will be blended (with other substances) so that they will not be included as dangerous drugs as outlined in the act.

"So, the authorities need to wait for the new drugs before we can analyse and recommend them to be included in the schedule,” he said.

On the spike in drug addiction among school students, Khalid said it was imperative that drugs became a syllabus in primary schools.

"Currently, the matter is only included in curricular subject, it should be a subject of its own, likewise the education of road traffic. These are the subjects that should be taught early,” he noted.

Khalid said the national rehabilitation policy should also be reviewed as it appeared to have no impact.

"We will also bring this matter to the government to be reviewed.”

According to statistics from January to July this year, a total of 117,434 people were detained for various drug-related offenses, indicating an 11 per cent increase as compared to last year’s 105,000 people. — Bernama