KUCHING, July 12, 2024 - The Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) Sarawak today urged the federal government to quickly equip law enforcement agencies with in Sarawak with contemporary and efficient technology-based drug screening and detection systems and trained drug searching and detection canines to effectively counter drug trafficking and smuggling in and through Sarawak.
Its Sarawak chairman See Chee How said it is very unfortunate that the ports, airports and border checkpoints are very poorly equipped, particularly Sarawak.
“We have only one drug screening systems set up at the Kuching airport, purchased by the Sarawak government and the police department has only one aged trained drug “sniffer” or detection dog in Miri.
“The inadequacy is daunting and this calls for the urgent and immediate actions by the federal government to equip all Sarawakian ports, airports and border checkpoints with the needed tracing and detecting systems and facilities, and trained canines,” he said in a statement.
“Sarawak, due to its vastness, with a long coastline, an extensive and yet porous border will need an enormous concerted effort of the government, all the enforcement agencies, social and civil organizations and each individual Sarawakians to safeguard Sarawak against drug abuse, smuggling and trafficking,” he said.
However, See, who is also Batu Lintang State Assemblyman, pointed out that the law enforcement agencies and departments lack the technology-based drug screening and detection systems and trained drug searching and detection canines in Sarawak, the “sniffing” and detecting mechanisms, and he believes that it is a common problem that is faced throughout the country.
Referring to the recent drug bust whereby the Customs Department had seized 60kg of drugs worth over RM1.9 million at the courier company in Kuching on July 4, See said that the police and customs department had recorded no less than 10 successful drug busts throughout the country within the last one month, including four in Sarawak.
“Those successful operations are mostly resulted from intelligence gathered, and it appears to be the modus operandi that the illegal drug smuggling and trafficking syndicates are making use of the courier and logistic companies in their illegal operations and activities,” he said.
“But the courier and logistic companies and handlers are only responsible for the receiving transportation and delivering of the parcels, packets and loads in between the Ports of Loading (POL) and Ports of Discharge (POD), from the shippers to the consignees, having no knowledge of what are in the parcels, packets and cargo, saved that they are declared by the shippers.
In law and practice, there are no provisions allowing them to open the parcels, packets and cargo. Only the police, customs and authorized agencies such as the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) can legally open and check the contents of the parcels, packets and cargo, upon receiving reliable intelligence.”
“Relying on the intelligence gathered alone has its limitations and is wholly insufficient to cripple the rampant illegal drug smuggling and trafficking activities within the country. The ports, airports and border checkpoints in the country must be equipped with efficient technology-based drug screening and detecting systems and canines to “sniff out” the drugs that are been illegally smuggled in and out of the country,” he added.
He said the current MCPF Sarawak Liaison Committee has identified drug abuse, smuggling and trafficking as one of its core concerns.
He added the Sarawak branch is embarking on a statewide anti-drug campaign and exercise to raise awareness of the risk of drug abuse among the urban and rural communities, in schools and among the youths with the hope of mobilizing all segments in the Sarawakian Family to actively participate in actions and measures to combat this social ill.
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