Two rural sites identified for rehab centre
Monday, 21 February 2005 (Source: Dailye Express)

TAWAU: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the Government has identified two possible locations for a rehabilitation centre to combat Sabah's runaway drug problem.

He did not name the locations except that they were in the rural areas. At the same time, the Government also adopted a long-term approach by promoting awareness on the dangers of drug abuse to local youths.

The State Government has also initiated more positive measures to reduce the rate of drug abuse through mutual cooperation with the security forces and schools, as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the parents.

He was speaking at a PBS Chinese New Year open house at the residence of Sri Tanjung Assemblyman Samson Chin, at Taman Leka, Sunday.

Overcoming the drug scourge in the State should involve all quarters, as it involved foreign negative elements, such as illegal immigrants, who were instrumental in smuggling drugs into the country, he said.

Pairin, who is also Rural Development Minister, pointed out that such a scourge could threaten the various aspects of development, as well as job opportunities for local people.

Commenting on the Regional Development Authority (RDA) and his series of working visits to several areas, including Pitas and Tuaran, he said these were aimed at taking notes on how far development projects had been carried out, as accorded by his Ministry.

The visits could also provide an opportunity to forge bilateral communications between the people in the respective areas and the Government, through their local district chiefs.

Pairin also disclosed that his Ministry had planned to build a handicraft training centre in Kukusan, while the fresh water breeding ponds would be increased to 10 in the Pitas district, to help overcome the poverty incidence in the rural areas.

He assured that both the State and Federal governments were earnest in their efforts to achieve zero-poverty by the year 2009, through the cooperation of the government departments and agencies.