AADK To Focus On Voluntary Admissions This Year

BANGI, Jan 29 (Bernama) -- The National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) is shifting its focus toward increasing voluntary admissions this year to address drug addiction and abuse more effectively.

AADK Director-General Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said the initiative aligns with recent amendments to the Drug Dependents (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983, which allow individuals to access treatment and rehabilitation directly, bypassing the prior requirement for certification by a medical officer.

He said the voluntary admission campaign would be intensified through AADK’s outreach programmes, home visits, and grassroots-level publicity.

“We want to promote voluntary treatment, where clients come directly to AADK for advice and treatment without having to go through the court process,” he told reporters after delivering the 2026 New Year Mandate at the AADK Monthly Assembly here today.

Ruslin added that the agency has introduced the Borderless Recovery Medical Treatment Mobilisation (MRT) service, which utilises a specially equipped bus featuring consultation rooms to reach clients at designated locations nationwide.

Through the MRT initiative, officers assess the level of drug involvement and offer tailored treatment packages ranging from three months to two years, depending on the severity of the case.

Ruslin added that AADK would also bolster its social media awareness campaigns to encourage more individuals to seek help voluntarily.

Earlier in his speech, Ruslin highlighted the Controlled Drugs 2030 agenda, a national strategic target to ensure drug abuse and addiction issues are kept under control by 2030.

Under this five-year implementation plan, the agency aims to maintain the addiction rate below 400 people per 100,000 residents, in line with government efforts to protect social well-being and national security.

Meanwhile, Ruslin said AADK aims to install high-tech closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera systems at 18 of its centralised lock-up facilities this year to ensure the highest standards of governance and integrity.

The agency is currently seeking allocations from the Ministry of Finance, with the installation expected to be carried out in phases.

“We are striving to begin the installation this year. It will be done in stages as we need to prioritise certain lock-up locations first,” he said.

On Sept 26 last year, Ruslin announced that 550 high-tech CCTV units would be installed at 18 AADK centralised lock-up facilities nationwide. The move is intended to increase operational transparency and minimise human error through modern technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim previously stated that the government had agreed to implement high-tech CCTV systems at Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detention centres and AADK lock-ups to enhance enforcement efficiency and safety.

-- BERNAMA