EVERY STAKEHOLDER NEEDS TO JOIN FIGHT AGAINST DRUG ABUSE by Fardah
Jakarta, Feb 27, 2016 (Antara) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has called on every stakeholder to declare war against drug abuse and trafficking.Labels
Drug abuse tops the list of major problems being faced by Indonesia, he stated while chairing a limited cabinet meeting on drug eradication and rehabilitation program for victims of drug abuse, on February 24. He urged the nation to seriously discuss issues related to the fight against the illicit circulation of drugs and the rehabilitation of drug addicts. The number of drug users in the country in 2015 was about 5.9 million, according to data of the National Anti-Narcotic Agency (BNN). "I want the drug eradication efforts to be stepped up and carried out in a bolder and `crazier' way, comprehensively, and in integrated manner," the Head of State said. Every concerned institution must keep aside sectoral ego in tackling the problem, he reminded. The fight against drugs must involve BNN, National Police, Justice and Human Rights Ministry, and Customs and Excise Directorate General, in addition to Education and Culture Ministry, Health Ministry, and Social Affairs Ministry, among others, he remarked. He also instructed that tougher law enforcement measures must be implemented against drug trafficking networks, and ordered that every entrance must be closed to drug smugglers. "Close any entrance to drug smuggling, both at seaports and airports as well as small ports in our country," he instructed. Furthermore, the Head of State reminded that prisons must be supervised stringently as some 50 percent of the country's illicit drugs circulated inside prisons. Some 45 percent of the total inmates in the country's prisons had been involved in drug-related cases. He specifically instructed the BNN with the support of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) to conduct impromptu raids at least one or twice a month in prisons to find illicit drugs. The number of narcotic cases in the country had continued to increase every year, National Police Chief General Badrodin Haiti said. Police arrested 50,178 suspects as part of 40,253 drug-related cases in 2015 and confiscated 23.2 tons of marijuana, more than 1 million ecstasy pills and 2.3 tons of crystal methamphetamine. "This is really an emergency situation and therefore we have declared war against narcotics," he said. The fight against drug abuse in the country could not be tackled by the agency alone, but it should be supported by every stakeholder of the nation, BNN Head Commissioner General Budi Waseso has often said. The agency has limited funds, and therefore, it needs to invite other institutions to help conduct public awareness campaigns on the dangers of drug abuse, he said when receiving Antara's News Director Aat Surya Safaat and member of the news agency's Supervisory Council Boni Hargens in Jakarta, on February 26 Aat Surya Safaat voiced Antara's support to the BNN in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking. He presented to Waseso a draft cooperation agreement aimed at intensifying the reporting and publication of illicit drug eradication activities in the country. Antara intends to publish every activity of and issue handled by the BNN, Hargens explained. "Antara has news portals and TV which can cover the activities of BNN at all times. Basically, Antara is ready to support all state institutions in their efforts to maintain the state's dignity," he remarked. Com. Gen. Budi Waseso expressed his gratitude to Antara for its readiness to help disseminate news on illicit drug eradication activities throughout the country. "I hope that all media networks in the country will help the BNN by disseminating news on drug eradication efforts in Indonesia. This is crucial as Indonesia is in a state of drug emergency," he emphasized. Earlier, Waseso also expressed his appreciation of the military for measures taken by the chief of the TNI against drug abuse within the force. "I highly appreciate and I am proud of TNI Chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo for the initiative to clean up the military from drug related offenses," Budi Waseso said. Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo had declared war against drug abuses, Army spokesman Brig. Gen. M Sabrar Fadhilah said recently. The military might participate in the efforts to eradicate drugs, along with the police, Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Security and Legal Affairs Luhut Panjaitan revealed in early February. "Later, the military could back the police in the fight against drugs trafficking," the minister said. The government will always adopt stern measures against any civil servant involved in drug abuse, Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Yuddy Chrisnandi stated. "Any state apparatuses involved in drug abuse must be dealt with sternly," Yuddy was quoted by the official website of the Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Ministry recently. ***2*** (f001/INE)
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