| James Kon |
MINISTER of Defence II and Chairman of the National Security Committee of Brunei Darussalam Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof yesterday underscored Brunei Darussalam’s leading role in the fight against drug abuse.
In his remarks at the opening ceremony of the 39th Meeting of ASEAN Senior Officials on Drug Matters (ASOD) held at The Rizqun International Hotel yesterday, he said, “Brunei Darussalam is most blessed under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam which bestows upon us continued guidance and steers the policy formulation on drug control.
In his many titahs, His Majesty has emphasised the theme Generasi Berwawasan (Generation with a Vision) and reminded the continuing and future generation of Brunei Darussalam to equip themselves to face future challenges towards realising the Brunei Vision 2035, the minister noted, adding that the monarch has also stressed on the importance of instilling awareness of drug abuse and to adopt a whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach to overcome the challenges of drugs.
“In upholding His Majesty’s titah, emphasis on family support in the treatment and rehabilitation programme is crucial in one’s journey to recovery from drug abuse; more public private partnership (PPP) with strategic partners has also been engaged in enhancing the effectiveness of our treatment and rehabilitation programmes as well as our preventive drug education outreach programmes,” the minister said.
“Annually on the first Sunday in May, Brunei Darussalam celebrates the National Family Day. This year, the 7th National Family Day was celebrated with a theme that focusses around the issue of drug abuse and ways to address its implications that threaten the stability and wellbeing of families and the society. The main event was graced by His Majesty, in which the monarch and members of the royal family joined the public in mass cycling activities around the capital. This activity was not only aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle but also a clear reflection of our highest political will in tackling the drug problem in our beloved country,” he noted.
Acknowledging the challenges in the fight against drugs in the region, the minister said drug problem is not a regional issue but a global one. “The world drug problem remains a common and shared responsibility for all of us. It continues to pose a serious threat to health, safety and security and undermines the wellbeing of our community as well as the economic, environmental and social development of our countries.
“Our region continues to be a hub for drug syndicates that capitalises on the rapidly increasing market demand for methamphetamine (syabu), and this might be a key driver for intra-regional and inter-regional methamphetamine trafficking. The retail prices of crystalline methamphetamine in the region are high and this makes it a lucrative illicit business opportunity for international drug syndicates. This is made even more challenging by the ever-changing modus operandi of crafty drug syndicates as they adapt to our enforcement strategies.
“In the same vein, the emergence and proliferation of new psychoactive substances (NPS) continue to be of concern. We need each other’s experiences and information sharing in curbing the ever-evolving nature of NPS. Our laws will also have to be able to adapt to allow more effective enforcement and provide greater levels of deterrence,” the minister explained.
Highlighting the challenges posed by technology, he said, “While we aspire to have better regional and extra-regional connectivity, we are also confronted with the challenges that technology present. The Dark Net and digital currencies such as Bitcoin have taken advantage of the inter-connectivity and online anonymity for their illicit business purposes. To this end, we need to step up our efforts in response to these ever-evolving challenges.”
The minister commended ASOD for playing an important role in ensuring that works undertaken by the ASEAN member states are in line with the regional goal of a ‘Drug-Free ASEAN’. “The ASOD platform serves many purposes for us in developing drug control strategies and work plans, establish and strengthen network, enhance cooperation – not just among us but also with dialogue partners as well as in sharing information, intelligence, evidence-based best practices and standards.
“I take this opportunity to commend the good work of the ASOD and its five working groups as well as the dialogue partners. ASOD’s achievements are apparent through the establishment of several platforms to coordinate and intensify joint operations to tackle drug trafficking, such as the ASEAN Airport Interdiction Task Force, the ASEAN Seaport Interdiction Task Force and the ASEAN Narcotics Cooperation Center, that have successfully launched three annual reports under the purview of the ASEAN Drug Monitoring Network. The good works set out by Thailand in the publication of the ASEAN Drug Monitoring Report 2017 deserve recognition,” he said.
On this note, the Minister of Defence II said he looks forward to hearing the progress of the ASEAN Cooperation Plan to Tackle Illicit Drug Production and Trafficking in the Golden Triangle 2017-2019 which was developed last year, aimed at interdicting drug trafficking from the Golden Triangle into the ASEAN region and beyond.
He also noted that ASOD is currently drafting an ASEAN Statement for adoption during the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Drug Matters in October this year. “The adopted ASEAN Statement that reiterates ASEAN’s aspirations and zero-tolerance stance against drugs will be read out at the 62nd High-Level Segment of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna in 2019.
“Despite the shift in drug policy seen in other parts of the world that advocate for decriminalisation or legalising drug consumption, we should continue to stand united in our ground to relay the message that there is no one-size-fits-all approach in addressing the drug issue, as each country has its own diverse drug situation and challenges.
“We believe in respecting the sovereign rights of each state to decide and implement policies based on the political, economic, social and cultural contexts as well as norms of society that best cater to our domestic drug situation,” the minister said.