Illegal drugs reach established community, minister says
Illegal drugs reach established community, minister says
Arya Abhiseka, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Indonesia's role in drug trafficking has increased significantly
in recent years as it has not only become a transit port but also
a major producer.
The death sentence handed down to businessman Ang Kiem Soei,
who owned a large factory producing ecstasy for worldwide
consumption, made the nation aware of the fact that illegal drugs
were not so distant.
It is alarming as illegal drugs have nowadays reached the
established community, restricting the nation's development and
limiting the number of qualified human resources, manpower and
transmigration minister Jacob Nuwa Wea said here on Tuesday.
"Illegal drugs have directly endangered the productivity of
the nation as more workers and professionals consume them," he
said during a briefing on creating a drug-free working
environment.
The briefing was organized by the National Narcotics Agency
(BNN) on Tuesday involving some 297 participants from about 40
companies. The meeting was aimed at urging each individual to
become aware of the use of illegal drugs in their work community.
According to data issued by BNN about 80 percent of drug users
in the country are in their productive years of between 20 and
45.
Some 85 percent of them hold permanent jobs including some who
are top executives.
This has affected the nation's productivity as work related
dangers have increased three to four fold, the data said.
Drugs have become more commonplace and popular among
professionals, who consume various drugs such as ecstasy,
cocaine, heroine, marijuana and shabu-shabu (crystal
amphetamine).
BNN chairman Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, who is also the National
Police chief, said on Tuesday that drugs, which were a worldwide
concern, "had infiltrated our society, restricting the nation's
potential to further develop".
He said the use of illegal drugs by established professionals
has retarded the nation's economic growth and productivity.
"It can impair human resources and threaten political
instability," he said.
There were some 3,751 drug related cases in 2002, showing an
increase of around 3.7 percent from the previous year.
"We have come to the conclusion that fighting drug trafficking
is mainly about how to limit demand and supply.
"I propose a 'prevention is better than cure' slogan for our
campaign against drugs," Da'i said.
He explained that the police had planned to implement several
measures such as imposing more strict punishment to prevent
production, trafficking and drug abuse.