By: Fauzi Suhaimi, Amir Zahien Amran dan Ahmad Hakim Baihaqi
BALUNG, May 12, 2024 – The Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) is proactive in the effort to provide an additional facility for drug addiction rehabilitation, particularly on the East Coast of Sabah.
Through this effort, a new Narcotics Addiction Rehabilitation Center (PUSPEN) will be built on a 12-hectare site at Batu 36, Tawau, Sabah.
Deputy Secretary General (Security) of MOHA, Dato’ Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman said that preliminary construction work for PUSPEN and the Remand Detention Center (PTR) has been approved under the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK-12) through Rolling Plan – 4 (RP4) 2024 with an overall ceiling cost of RM8.5 million.
“For the preliminary construction, JKR Sabah has been appointed as the project implementer agency, and the construction site for PUSPEN Tawau has been gazetted by the Sabah State Government on March 14, 2024.
“In the future, once the preparatory work is finished, I hope that PUSPEN Tawau’s construction can be continued so we can provide the best services possible, especially the successful implementation of institutional treatment and rehabilitation programmes (RPDI) for individuals with drug problems,” he said.
He said this while speaking at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the PUSPEN Construction Project here on Sunday.
Earlier, the groundbreaking ceremony was officiated by Deputy Chief Minister III, YB Datuk Ir. Shahelmey Yahya.
According to Dato’ Abdul Halim, the facility will help not only the NADA employees but also the people who live along Sabah’s East Coast in general.
“I would like to share the experience of NADA, which has been operating on Sabah’s east coast for a long time, especially in Tawau, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, and the neighbouring places. They have had to spend a lot of time travelling to PTR Papar and PUSPEN for services or to participate in the RPDI programme. This is because the facility is only available in Papar for the entire state of Sabah.
“Additionally, social support modules – particularly those from intimate support systems like parents, spouses, family members, and relatives – are adapted as contributors to lifelong recovery in the treatment and rehabilitation model used by NADA through the NADA i-Pulih Model.
“I have no doubt that the new facility will make it easier for some groups that require these services to receive treatment and rehabilitation as well as to express support, particularly during family visits, which are therapeutic for NADA clients,” he said.
“I also wish to remind everyone to eliminate negative stigmas against the establishment of PUSPEN in this area, as its establishment is an effort to provide treatment and rehabilitation to those who have strayed from this path.” Also present were the Member of the State Legislative Assembly (ADUN) for Balung, YB Datuk Hamild @ Hamid Awang; Assistant Minister for Industrial and Entrepreneur Development of Sabah State and ADUN Tanjung Batu, YB Datuk Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy, and Deputy Director General (Management), Puan Shobah Jamil.
