By Dayangku Hidayatul
KUCHING, Aug 26: Sarawak recorded 9,583 drug-related cases in the first eight months of this year as New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) such as products marketed as “magic mushroom”, “K-pod” and “Piu-Piu” emerge as a serious and evolving threat to society.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the cases were recorded by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (JSJN) between Jan 1 and Aug 23, comprising 7,171 cases involving drug users, 1,934 possession cases and 478 trafficking cases.
“In Sarawak, JSJN recorded 478 cases of drug trafficking, 1,934 cases of possession and 7,171 cases involving drug users, bringing the total to 9,583 cases. These figures cover the period from Jan 1 to Aug 23, 2026,” he said at a press conference after chairing the Sarawak Anti-Drug Action Council (MTMD) meeting at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUNS) Complex here today.
Abdul Karim, who is also National Malaysia Drugs Prevention Association (Pemadam) chairman, said the drug threat was evolving, with users increasingly turning to NPS, although conventional drugs such as methamphetamine, or syabu, remained a concern.
He said the drug market was becoming increasingly diverse, with new substances often disguised in liquid form or incorporated into vaping devices.
“Terms such as ‘mushroom’, ‘magic mushroom’, ‘K-pod’, and ‘Piu-Piu’ have emerged, with some of these products found to contain synthetic cannabinoids, ecstasy or other psychoactive substances,” he said.
He said the National Poison Centre recorded 76 poisoning cases linked to vapes suspected of containing prohibited substances between 2020 and 2024, with 81 per cent involving products marketed as “Magic Mushroom Vape”.
Abdul Karim said the police had also reported the emergence of “Piu-Piu” in June this year, referring to a drug mixture in vape liquid reportedly containing fentanyl and other psychoactive substances.
He said Op Vape 1.0, conducted in April, resulted in the seizure nationwide of 8,091 devices, 5,257 cartridges and 19.67 kilogrammes of drugs with an estimated value of RM4.6 million.
Meanwhile, he said the abuse of kratom, or ketum, was another growing concern, with 99 arrests recorded by the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK).
He said stronger mitragynine detection methods and urine analysis were needed to expedite case verification and enable more effective follow-up action.
Abdul Karim stressed the need for stronger enforcement to address both drug supply and demand, while calling for closer cooperation among government agencies, the private sector, non-governmental organisations and the community to contain and ultimately eliminate drug and substance abuse.
He also called for the Drug-Free Workplace Programme (TEKAD) and its digital component, e-TEKAD, to be expanded across State and Federal government agencies, government-linked companies (GLCs) and other organisations.
He said the initiative was important in strengthening a safe, healthy, integrity-driven and drug-free workplace culture.
“The Sarawak government remains committed to strengthening the programme, particularly among civil servants, as a continuous and strategic initiative,” he said.
The MTMD meeting is considering a paper titled Strengthening the Drug-Free Workplace (TEKAD) Ecosystem: A Strategic Agenda for Sarawak’s Public Sector, presented by AADK, with implementation being considered for 2027.
Three information papers are also being discussed, covering proposed amendments to the Drug Dependants and Substance Abusers (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983 (Act 283), issues and challenges in mitragynine detection and urine analysis, as well as licensing and regulatory oversight of the courier industry.
The meeting also discussed voluntary drug treatment, with 2,145 individuals nationwide having voluntarily sought treatment since the Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983 (Act 283) came into force.
“Every decision reached at this meeting should be followed by a clearly identified action owner, implementation timeframe and monitoring mechanism to ensure that agreed measures are effectively translated into action,” he emphasised. — DayakDaily
