KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12  -- Social activist Lee Lam Thye lauds the RM15 million allocation for  the National Anti Drugs Agency (AADK) to carry out RINTIS programme with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and local communities under Budget 2020.

He said the allocation could help improve the effectiveness of drug rehabilitation programmes.

“However, it is necessary to address the serious drug problems more effectively through a new drug policy to be decided by a commission set up to review the entire drug problems in the country,” he said in a statement today. 

On a another note, he said there was no allocation for mental health facility development such as community rehabilitation centres even though the Health Ministry had been allocated RM30.6 bililon under Budget 2020.

“The ministry must receive more allocation to build substance rehabilitation centres to help deal with various mental problems caused by synthetic drugs while listing psychotropic pills as critical medicine in view of increasing patients who need it,” he said.

The ministry, he said, must also provide allocation for mental health first aid training to teachers, employers and parents apart from supporting mental health NGOs. 

Meanwhile, he said the government’s decision to give a special RM200 allowance to firemen is also timely in view of the challenges they face in carrying out their duties. 

-- BERNAMA