KUALA TERENGGANU: Students have been reminded that committing crime or being involved in dadah abuse at a young age could have dire consequences later on in their adult life.
Federal police narcotics crime investigation department chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh warned that students caught and prosecuted at a court of law would have to face the stigma for life.
“This can have serious repercussions when one applies for a job after leaving school, college or university.
“Their criminal record will stay for 99 years, or until their death, whichever comes first," he said.
“The standard operating procedure when applying for a job stipulates one to declare that he has no previous criminal record.
"This is something one cannot run away from. So, how to become a doctor if one has a criminal record?”
Advising students not to be involved in crime at a young age, Mohamad said although there was a very small number of delinquents involved in bullying, almost daily in schools in Malaysia, the incidents gained momentum when viralled in social media like Youtube.
“This is a reality in our schools. We do not want this bullying culture to prolong as it has negative repercussions and traumatises the victims who may give up their studies because they are afraid to attend school," he said at the appointment of prefects of SMK Tengku Bariah.
“The victims’ families will also be affected when such students drop out as they will have high expectations of their charges to successfully complete their studies.”
Mohamad said the availability of dadah, especially pil kuda (psychotropic pill), among schoolchildren was also rampant as it was affordable, easy to carry and in easy-to-consume forms.
“There are more than 800 such scientifically prohibited dadah made easily available in food and beverages, which students popularly consume and which the authorities have an ever-challenging difficulty in tracing.
“Some of the dadah when consumed makes the student aggressive and commit crimes,” he said.
Another menace, he said, was underage students racing illegally without riding licences which were issued to those 16 years and above by the Road Transport Department.
“It is a great challenge for us to address these long-standing and negative-cultural issues in a drastic but progressive manner, with the cooperation and involvement of teachers, parents and other agencies,” he said.
He urged schools’ uniformed bodies like scouts and cadets, as well as parents and teachers to keep tabs on students and alert the authorities of suspicious pupils.
Mohamad said being chosen as prefects was a new beginning for those aspiring to become great leaders of tomorrow, irrespective of the vocation they chose.
“They can be leaders in the government or private sector, or even in the self-employed business as well as become professionals like doctors, engineers or entrepreneurs.
“If they concentrate on their studies and stay away from negative social issues, I am confident they will become useful citizens,” he said.
At a similar function at the Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Cendering on Sunday, Mohamad revealed that a total of 679 students were caught nationwide for drug abuse last year.
As for Terengganu, he said they numbered 38 students, or eight per cent of the total.
“The number of arrests (for drug abuse among students) is increasing each year and this is worrying. Before they were exposed to drugs like ganja, heroin, morphine and the like, but now they are dabbling in synthetic drugs like psychotropic pills, syabu and ice,” he said.
He said that New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) which were detected in Europe have also made their way to Malaysian shores.
He said NPS posed a new challenge because they were easily sold as drinks and sweets at prices as low as RM5 compared to the synthetic type which could fetch RM30 to RM50 for a “fix”.