THE Narcotics Control Bureau is looking to intensify their awareness programme and hope to push greater or wider emphasis on the subject of drug abuse in the education curriculum, by bringing the subject matter from civic class to the examination table.
This will hopefully shed light on how serious this matter is amongst the students.
The Bureau also revealed that an arrangement has been made with the education authority for next academic year, emulating a continuous illegal drug awareness education beginning from lower academic level up to the higher learning.
Currently, subject on drug misuse is too lightly touched upon in the school curriculum, according to the Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau, Hj Abd Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maha Bijaya Hj Othman.
For example, the subject matter on illegal drugs only emphasises the health dangers of consuming them in Science Subjects. In religious schools or classes, students were educated on how drugs are ‘Haram’ and should be avoided.
These are equally effective measures, but more should be incorporated in the curriculum that could bring even greater awareness amongst the students.
The curriculum should also highlight the various methods explored by drug traffickers to lure or recruit people to sell drugs or become ‘drug mules’ and explain the dangers or risks when succumbing to these ‘activities’, which will eventually result in failure.
This approach is ever more important in light of the current situation, where locals are still involved in selling drugs. Cases of locals involved in international drug trafficking syndicate have also resurfaced time and time again.
Currently, four local Bruneians are serving their prison sentences overseas after being lured to be drug couriers after being offered with money or a promise of love.
According to the Narcotic Control Bureau, the recruits were also given other perks ranging from big allowances to free perfumes.
The Bureau said they had to learn that the syndicate is always counter-checking their operations by sending a reconnaissance or “spy” to learn how the Bureau conducts their investigations or operations, which is why the Bureau is so-ever reluctant to disclose their methods.
The Narcotics Director said, “It is common for international syndicates of these types to try and manipulate or exploit witnesses.
“This does not mean we have a weak system. In fact, Brunei has a very high level of security but in every strong system, there is always small hole that they can operate.”
However, according to the Director, the efforts to combat illicit drug activities are the responsibility of all. Education plays a pivotal role and the media must also play an important part to assist the authorities in spreading awareness on the issue.
The Acting Assistant Director of Preventive Drug Education, Awg Osmawi bin Hj Osman, said the upper secondary school level is a “critical stage” for schools to bring about awareness on the matter.
He said this is where a majority of school dropouts decide to stop their education and it becomes difficult for the message to get through in terms of further educating them on illegal drugs and could easily become a candidate for the syndicate.
Equally, it is important that the students be updated with the latest information on illegal drug activities.
“We do not know whether a new drug will be invented and new trends, threats or activities conducted by the local or international drug syndicate. So we need to keep ourselves updated.
“When the remuneration sounds illogical, better leave the offer,” Awg Osmawi bin Hj Osman said.
According to him, besides emphasising the awareness programme in the education curriculum, they also have a course called “workplace programme”, where participating organisations are responsible to form their own committee for the drug awareness programme and work closely with the Narcotics Control Bureau.
He said in a current state, where international drug syndicates continue to pose a threat in this region, Bruneians are no longer exempted as there have been four cases of locals arrested for trafficking drugs in foreign lands. The time has come for tougher awareness efforts to be implemented.
`Prevention is better than cure’, which is why the PDE divisions are constantly conducting roadshows and coming up with new implementations on educating the public on the dangers of drugs.
“The awareness programme we are conducting is not limited to roadshows held in schools. Pamphlets are also being distributed through immigration posts and RTB is promoting our ‘No Drugs at All’ slogan while the Ministry of Religious Affairs is also closely involved in terms of dispersing information through the Friday sermon, AN NUR TV programme and various campaigns in religious schools nationwide,” said Osmawi Hj Osman.
Director Hj Abd Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maha Bijaya Hj Othman said, “We are always updating and evaluating innovative ways to alert the public and educate them on the matter of narcotics but it is also the responsibility of the public to help each other as it does not only pose a problem to the NCB but to every individual in the community as well.”
Reminders and warning letters are also actively issued to Bruneian students studying abroad as their way to reach out to everyone in every length possible especially when international drug syndicates are also vigorously developing working relationships with other criminal groups and building up their own networks.
“The public needs to be more aware of what is going on and cooperation from concerned citizens have helped a lot in curbing various illegal activities in the country,” said the NCB Director.
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