Rabu, 26 November 2014

EFFORTS TO FIGHT DRUG TRAFFICKING SHOULD BE INTENSIFIED

 By Andi Abdussalam   
          Jakarta, Nov 26 (Antara) -- Trafficking of narcotics in the country has turned into a very serious and dangerous problem as it has entered strategic institutions, including universities, which determine the quality and future of the nation.
         At least three universities have been involved so far: In March, a lecturer of the University of North Sumatra (USU) was arrested for being in possession of narcotics. In August, police nabbed an alumnus of the National University of Jakarta (Unas) for distributing narcotics to users in the campus. Soon after, they conducted several searches and found drugs in the campus once again.
         Moreover, the public were surprised when police arrested a faculty of law professor, who is also an assistant rector, of the Hasanuddin University (Unhas) in Makassar, South Sulawesi, some two weeks ago.
         The professor was apprehended on charges of consuming methamphetamine with two female students in a hotel room.
         Chairman of the Anti-Narcotics Movement Center of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) Anwar Abbas expressed concern over the involvement of the professor in the narcotics case.

 
         "We are concerned and regret the involvement of the Unhas assistant rector in the drug abuse case," Abbas remarked. 
    He added that even a highly educated person with a professor's title could be involved in a narcotics offense, whereas a university campus was a place to produce intellectuals who can be free from drugs that destroy the future of the nation.

         "The government should conduct narcotics tests for aspiring leaders in strategic institutions. More intensive efforts must be put in to crack down on traffickers," Abbas emphasized.
         Furthermore, Senior Commissioner Agus Rohmat, the unit I chief of the Narcotics Crime Directorate of the Indonesian National Police's Investigation Department, noted on Tuesday that an effort like jihad was needed to fight illegal drug trafficking and abuse.
         There should be a jihad movement supported by all parties in cracking down on drug dealers. 
    "If we are united in fighting narcotics, I am convinced we can crack down on it," Rohmat affirmed.

         Data from the Ministry of Law and Human Rights revealed that of the 160,750 prisoners and detainees in the country, 56,847, or 35 percent of them, were brought in on drug-related charges.
         In addition, the approach to dealing with drug addicts should also be changed. They should be rehabilitated, which could also serve as their punishment.
         According to the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), worship houses can serve like Addict Recipient Agency (IPWL) and can be used as places to rehabilitate narcotics addicts.
         "For example, monasteries can serve as places for rehabilitating narcotics addicts in Thailand. Basically, drug addiction is an issue that can be related to faith in God," Brig. Gen Ida Utari, the director of the Government Agency Rehabilitation Institution Development of the BNN, said in a dialog forum on Tuesday.
         She added that narcotics addicts can be rehabilitated in a place where they can feel comfortable, such as in mosques or churches.
         Utari further noted that the BNN runs 314 IPWLs, while the number of drug addicts recorded in 2011 was four million.
         In an effort to fight drug trafficking and abuse, the Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reforms (Kemenpan-RB) and the BNN have signed an agreement on the prevention and elimination of drug abuses and narcotics (P4GN).
         State Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Yuddy Chrisnandi explained on Friday last week that the agreement made it mandatory for all state employees (civil servants) and aspiring employees to undertake narcotics tests.
         BBN Chief Anang Iskandar said that his agency will conduct urine tests of all civil servants across the country in an effort to ensure early detection of drug abuses by government apparatuses.
         "This is a serious effort. It is not without reason that we will be conducting the tests. The quality of services to the people will be determined by the mentality and credibility of government apparatuses," Iskandar stressed.
         He further noted that if state apparatuses dabble in drug abuse, it would impact their performance negatively and would weaken their ability to serve the people.
         "In such cases, the Ministry of State Administrative and Bureaucratic Reforms fully supports the BNN," Iskandar affirmed.
         In order to ensure smooth implementation of its tasks, the BNN held a counseling program, which involved at least 2,000 people.
         Iskandar pointed out that the counseling program was aimed at enriching the knowledge of the participants regarding their strategy in handling narcotics cases.
        "So far, narcotics consumers have been sent to jail as punishment, but we have realized that this has not been the right approach as it has not helped reduce the number of cases related to narcotics abuse," he remarked.
         He also added that drug users, like people who suffer from diseases, need to be sent to a rehabilitation facility, which can also serve as their punishment.
         "The numbers of drug dealers and users are too large at present. In an effort to create a clean Indonesia free from narcotics, we should reduce the number of users to zero. This will automatically make drug dealers disappear," Iskandar stated.
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(T.A014/INE/B003)
EDITED BY INE

(T.A014/A/BESSR/Bustanuddin) 26-11-2014 22:57:

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