| Hakim Hayat |
BRUNEI Darussalam has reiterated its full commitment with other ASEAN member countries to enhance regional and extra-regional joint efforts in tackling transnational drug crimes, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Datin Seri Paduka Dayang Hajah Elinda binti Haji CA Mohammad said.
She highlighted this in her speech at the 6th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Drug Matters (AMMD) held in Hanoi, Vietnam on Thursday.
She also highlighted Brunei’s adoption of a whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach in the formulation of drug policy, adding that its zero-tolerance approach for a drug-free country has produced encouraging results. Brunei will continue the effort.
In keeping with ASEAN’s journey towards a region of ‘One Vision, One Identity, One Community’, she also stressed that it is important for it to reaffirm the mutually reinforcing and complementary nature of the three United Nations (UN) political documents. They are: 2009 Political Declaration on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem, the 2014 Joint Ministerial Statement and the 2016 UNGASS Outcome Document, reject any attempts undertaken by some countries that seek to decriminalise or legalise the use of controlled drugs as well as the need to recognise that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ drug policy and respect the sovereign rights of each state to decide and implement policies based on the political, economic, social and cultural contest as well as norms of society that best cater to domestic drug situation.
During the 6th AMMD opening ceremony, Minister of Public Security of Vietnam Senior Lieutenant General To Lam urged ASEAN member states to continue to strengthen and enhance regional and extra-regional cooperation with dialogue partners and external parties in the implementation of the regional plans and initiatives.
Meanwhile, in the Chairman Statement adopted following the meeting, all parties to the meeting reaffirmed their strong commitment and readiness to implement the proposed activities as guided by the ASEAN Work Plan on Securing Communities Against Illicit Drugs 2016-2025 (ASEAN Work Plan 2016-2025), as well as the ASEAN Cooperation Plan to Tackle Illicit Drug Production and Trafficking in the Golden Triangle 2017-2019 (ASEAN Cooperation Plan 2017 – 2019).
They also reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to realising the aspiration of a Drug-Free ASEAN, through a zero-tolerance approach towards illicit drugs that will provide its people and communities with a society free from the abuse and ill effects of drugs, and will also continue to be resolute in its position, despite the shift in drug policies seen in other parts of the world advocating for the decriminalisation or legalisation of drugs.
All Asean member states also endorsed a joint ASEAN position statement that reaffirms ASEAN’s commitment to a zero-tolerance approach in realising its aspiration of a Drug-Free ASEAN.
The statement will be delivered at the High Level Segment of the 62nd Commission on Narcotic Drugs in March 2019, where the future global drug plan will be discussed following the culmination of the 2009 Political Declaration Plan of Action.
They also adopted another ASEAN Joint Statement that would be delivered at the Fifth Inter-sessional Meeting of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on November 7-9, which would reaffirm ASEAN’s resolute stand against legalisation of illicit drugs for non-medical and non-scientific use, and urge the international community to uphold the provisions of the international drug control conventions, which the international community has jointly affirmed as the cornerstone of the international drug control system.
The Brunei delegation included Acting Director of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Haji Mohd Jaffari bin Haji Mahadi as well as senior officers from the PMO and NCB.