All hands must be on board on drug, vape problems, says PM

Everyone has a role to play in addressing the drug and vape problems affecting Malaysian youths, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He emphasised the government’s readiness to support efforts to eliminate the issue, describing it as a persistent challenge that demands collective action.

“Please discuss the best ways to resolve this problem. Should there be funding, counselling, or religious outreach? We have spent many years on this, but it is not yet solved,” he said during the Seminar Kenegaraan Malaysia Madani.

Anwar revealed that the matter had been raised during a recent Cabinet meeting, signalling the seriousness with which the government views the issue.

The seminar, themed “Guru Pemangkin Patriotisme Negara” (Teachers are the Catalyst of National Patriotism), was organised by the Akademi Kenegaraan Malaysia under the Prime Minister’s Office, and was attended by around 1,000 participants, including teachers, students, and retirees.

Anwar also highlighted the importance of balancing economic development with education and moral integrity, noting that a nation’s progress must be grounded in values.

“What’s the point of empowering the economy when leaders misuse their powers? Let’s pray that we remain steadfast in our commitment because power can be distracting,” he said.

He further stressed the need to preserve the national language amid efforts to strengthen multilingual proficiency.

“It’s not a zero-sum game. It doesn’t mean that when we talk about empowering other language skills, Bahasa Malaysia is being forgotten,” he added.

Anwar urged leaders to act with integrity and resist the temptation to use their positions for personal enrichment, stressing the importance of returning public funds to the people.

“They should also work against the abuse of power to accumulate wealth. This is my duty, as the money belongs to the rakyat. The money should be returned to the rakyat so we can solve issues faced by the people,” he said.

Lastly, he encouraged retirees to continue contributing to the nation even after their official service ends.

“We should be strong and keep working hard to elevate the dignity of the country and its people. We inherited a rich culture and civilisation, and our children must continue to gain the knowledge to make our country great,” he added.