KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia has recorded a 10.5 percent decline in drug abuse and addiction cases nationwide during the first quarter of this year, reversing a three-year upward trend, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said on Tuesday.
A total of 108,409 individuals were recorded for drug abuse as of March, compared to 121,170 cases during the same period last year, with 60 percent of these being new cases and 40 percent involving repeat offenders, he told a press briefing.
"One of key factors contributing to this decline is the successful crackdown and closure of smuggling trails in Kelantan state, a major entry point for drug supplies," he said.
Beyond tighter border controls, he noted that continuous enforcement operations and intensified public awareness campaigns since early this year have also contributed to the downward trend.
Saifuddin added that amphetamine-type stimulants, including methamphetamine, ecstasy, and amphetamine, remained the most commonly abused narcotics followed by cannabis. ■
