Mega to declare drug campaign, as poll nears

JAKARTA: President Megawati Soekarnoputri is set to declare another national campaign against drugs, to take place on Sunday at the Bung Karno Sports Complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta.

The campaign is being revived amid growing concern over the alarming number of people using illegal drugs in the country, according to chief of the National Narcotic Agency (BNN) Comr. Gen. Makbul Padmanegara.

The last survey conducted by the University of Indonesia (UI) showed that out of 100 children surveyed recently, an average of 3.9 of them had consumed various kinds of substances, ranging from glue to heroin. The campaign will be held just one week before people nationwide cast their votes in the election runoff on Sept. 20, where Megawati will face rival candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. -- Antara