By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 14: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has expressed its readiness to support Sarawak in enhancing training capacity, developing international-standard prevention modules, and building a global technical network to improve the effectiveness of existing interventions against drug abuse.
This commitment was reinforced during a courtesy visit by UNODC Malaysia to the Ministry of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, which further strengthened strategic cooperation between the two parties in tackling drug-related issues comprehensively.
In a Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) news, Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said the meeting provided a valuable platform to share Sarawak’s holistic approach in addressing drugs and illicit substances through the One Stop Committee (OSC) mechanism.
“Today, the ministry has invited all strategic partners who are members of the One Stop Committee (OSC) to jointly address the issue of drugs and illicit substances in a balanced manner.
“This approach includes efforts to cut off supply, reduce demand, implement recovery, and strengthen advocacy, in addition to helping those who have recovered to regain independence and reintegrate into society,” she said.
Fatimah emphasised that Sarawak maintains a careful balance between enforcement, prevention, rehabilitation, and advocacy, ensuring that recovered individuals can lead productive and functional lives.
UNODC Malaysia Country head Eric Van Der Veen said the organisation looks forward to witnessing Sarawak’s approach in action under the State government’s leadership.
He added that UNODC is ready to provide technical support to strengthen the State’s interventions and prevention strategies against drug abuse. — DayakDaily
