Drug policy reform should place greater emphasis on treatment and rehabilitation rather than imprisonment, according to Drug Policy Programme Malaysia (DPPM) senior technical officer Farid Zuhri Ismail. He presented a working paper at the Kingston 10 Hotel in Bukit Jalil that is guided by the principles of Rahmah (compassion) and Maqasid Syariah (the higher objectives of Islamic law). Ismail noted that existing laws in place for decades have not succeeded in significantly reducing drug addiction and substance abuse. The working paper “carries the spirit of Maqasid Syariah, allowing us to view the issue through an Islamic lens, whereby rehabilitation and treatment should be prioritised over punishment alone.”
Distinguishing between drug use and addiction
Farid emphasized that drug legislation should be reassessed because it does not adequately account for the realities of addiction. Current laws do not distinguish between people with substance dependence and other drug users, treating all of them as criminals. According to one international study, people with addiction represent only around 10 to 20 percent of the broader spectrum of drug use. Some individuals experiment with drugs, some use them recreationally, while others may use them occasionally or for work-related reasons. The current legal framework does not recognize these distinctions—everyone is labeled an addict, everyone is treated as a criminal, and all are placed either in prison or in facilities operated by the Narcotics Addiction Rehabilitation Centre and the National Anti-Drugs Agency.
Shifting the approach
The Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement’s (IKRAM) representative Faridah Maludin said the working paper focuses on drug users and people with addiction rather than traffickers, while reinforcing a treatment-based approach. “We are moving towards a new approach where individuals are not automatically sent to prison. Instead, access to treatment should be strengthened because people with drug addiction are patients, and we should view the issue from a healthcare perspective.” The working paper was prepared by IKRAM and reviewed by Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri, former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), before being presented to various stakeholders including religious institutions and government ministries for support.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://mediaselangor.com/en/2026/06/377226