Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysia will launch a drugprevention campaign early 2020, the Malaysian Home Ministry announced onOctober 16.
At the second meeting of the Cabinet Committee on the Eradication of Drugs in2019, which was chaired by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, members of thecommittee said drug abuse cases and the number of seized items are still high.
It was agreed at the meeting that the proposed amendments to the DrugDependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983 would be reviewed takinginto account the views of its members, the Home Ministry said in a statement.
The meeting also agreed that all government agencies are responsible forimplementing integrated prevention programmes through initiatives under theNational Drug Policy for the period 2020–2025, where such programmes werecoordinated and monitored by the ministry, especially the National Anti-DrugAgency (AADK).
The meeting also agreed on the empowerment of the Narcotics CriminalInvestigation Department of the Royal Malaysia Police by upgrading its assetsand technology, as a step towards enhancing the department's readiness totackle global drug crimes.
The government should enhance cooperation with non-governmental organisationsthrough the Alternative Service Delivery initiative by implementing appropriatesupervision programmes for those being supervised under the AADK.
Under Malaysia’s law, drug addicts would be sentto rehabilitation centresfor twoyears under a programme that costs the Government more than 300million ringgit (70 million USD) each year./.
Malaysian police on October 13 disclosed that financial transactions involving huge sums of money had been carried out, believed to activate the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) group in the country.
Malaysia is considering banning the sale of electronic cigarettes following reports of deaths in the US linked to e-cigarettes, said the country’s Minister of Health Dzulkefly Ahmad on October 14.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Illustrative image (Source: bernama.com) 
