KUALA LUMPUR – Kelantan is grappling with a sharp and troubling rise in drug-related offences, particularly involving synthetic drugs such as pil kuda (yaba) and other stimulant-based substances, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
Speaking after inspecting the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex in Rantau Panjang, Saifuddin revealed that drug abuse, distribution, and trafficking in Kelantan have shown a steady increase since 2022, with seizures and convictions on the rise, Bernama reported.
“Data indicates that the majority of drugs seized fall under the synthetic category, such as pil kuda and other stimulant-based substances. Cannabis is also seized, but in much smaller quantities,” he said.
The escalating drug crisis is also contributing to severe overcrowding in the state’s prisons.
Machang Prison currently houses over 3,000 inmates – more than double its official capacity of 1,560 – with 80% of inmates incarcerated for drug-related offences. Pengkalan Chepa Prison is similarly overburdened, with 2,977 inmates, 65% of whom are drug offenders.
Based on figures compiled from the Health Ministry, Bukit Aman’s Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department, the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK), and rehabilitation centres, Kelantan has recorded around 23,000 drug abuse cases with a population of 1.8 million.
“This places Kelantan’s ratio at over 1,000 cases per 100,000 people, far exceeding the national average of 566,” he noted, citing the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime standards.
Districts most affected by drug activities include Jeli, Kuala Krai, Bachok, Tanah Merah, and Pasir Puteh. Saifuddin has instructed the Kelantan police to intensify enforcement efforts and enhance collaboration with AADK to improve prevention strategies.
“I also stressed the importance of raising awareness within the community and schools to combat this scourge of drug abuse,” he added during his visit to the state today.
“Kelantan is one of the four border states, alongside Kedah, Perlis, and Terengganu, that consistently report high numbers of drug-related cases.”
Despite these challenges, he affirmed that overall state security remains stable due to the continued efforts of enforcement agencies. Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat was also present during the visit.
The Home Ministry has also intensified border control operations to combat cross-border crimes. More than 200 illegal bases along the Malaysian side of the Sg Golok border have been shut down as part of heightened security measures.
“These closures and the omnipresent approach by security forces have successfully reduced illegal border crossings.
“There are no significant numbers of individuals crossing borders illegally, and the trend has been under control since December,” Saifuddin said.
A total of 819 personnel have been deployed in rotation to monitor and carry out operations in key border hotspots, reinforcing the government’s commitment to border security. – May 4, 2025