Home Ministry Working On New Bill To Decriminalise Small-Time Drug Use & Possession
The proposed bill will also see offenders being sent to rehabilitation instead of prison.
By May Vin Ang — 15 May 2023, 05:30 PM
A new bill to decriminalise the use and possession of small quantities of drugs is in the works to be presented to the cabinet this year
According to Malay Mail, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the bill will be called the Drugs and Substance Abuse Act, and seeks to change existing provisions under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
The provisions are namely under Section 12 and Section 15 for import, export, and self-administration of certain dangerous drugs.
The proposed bill, Saifuddin said, was discussed at a law enforcement committee meeting with the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) recently.
Saifuddin said the new law will also see offenders found with small amounts of drugs being sent to rehabilitation instead of prison
"When this new law (comes into effect), for offences where the amount of drugs found on one's body is small, whether it is owning the substance or using it, the idea is to not deem it as a regular drug-related offence, but to decriminalise it," he said at the Ministry of Home Affair's Aidilfitri celebration at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) today, 15 May.
"Offenders will be sent to rehabilitation institutions under AADK, and not to prisons, so that we do not congest the facilities," he added, as quoted by New Straits Times.
The ministry hopes to present the bill to the cabinet by July, and have it tabled for its first reading in parliament by the end of the year
"The ministry secretary-general and I were briefed on the progress of the bill and it is moving as scheduled. Our target is to bring it to the cabinet in July.
"Once an approval is given by the cabinet, we will work with the Attorney-General's Chambers to come up with a draft. If all goes well, the first reading can be made in parliament this year," Saifuddin announced.
