The President of the World League “Mind Free of Drugs”, Professor Jenishbek Nazaraliev, has arrived to Malaysia in order to research positive experiences against drug addiction and its illegal trade in the region for republishing of his book ‘Fatal Red Poppies’, which was first published back in 2001. Treating more than 16,000 patients successfully for the past 30 years, Professor is widely known for his author’s method in treating drug and alcohol addiction.

The book tells about illicit trade and positive experiences against drug addiction in 45 countries, including Europe, the USA, Latin America, Africa, Australia and Asia. Today, Professor expands his geography and wants to republish the book covering new chapters of Muslim countries in Asia and East. Especially for our newspaper Professor has written an abstract about his first analyses.

I came to Malaysia in order to do some research. Collected by me, “visible” information will serve a good material for a new chapter in my book devoted to Malaysia. My next publishing will include positive experiences applied in Muslim countries, and the next countries I will cover are: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Alger, Morocco, etc.

During my visit, I was fortunate to meet the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Mr. Nur Jazlan Mohamed. He was appointed to this position a year ago. Today he is 42, and comes from a powerful family. His father is Chinese and his mother is Malay. As far as I learnt, the father of the Deputy Minister still has power and influence among the internal affairs of Malaysia. The kids of the Deputy Minister, son and daughter, study in England to be a finance expert and a chemical engineer. Mr. Nur Jazlan Mohamed himself graduated from English university and has a strong knowledge in accounting. Very intelligent and educated politician.

We spoke about the effort of drug control agencies and law enforcement structures. There are four departments which deal in this regards: the royal customs, immigration department, the royal police, and the national drug control agency. There are 16,000 recruited stuff. The budget spend for this means sums up to almost 40 millions per year.

One of the actual problems today is synthetic drugs, produced in illegal laboratories (e.g. Crystal, methamphetamines, ecstasy, and smoking mixtures). The laboratories are easy to set up, and they always on the go. For the last three years, more than 30 illegal drug producing laboratories were exposed. Another problem is the organic drugs such as: heroin, marihuana, and raw opium, which come to the country from the neighboring Golden Triangle. (Thailand, Myanmar, Laos).

Drug smugglers consider Malaysia as one of the main logistic chains for transportation of drugs to China and to other countries.

The largest amount of drug addicted people fall within the age group of 25 to 29 years pf age. This is the most active economic population of the state and government must work really hard imposing harsh laws in order to prevent drug spread. Nevertheless, the statistics show a 10% synthetic drug production increase each year.

I asked Deputy Minister a question about the death penalty for drug trade and drug smuggling in Malaysia. He answered that if we legalize light drugs, or weaken the laws, we will lose the control over our population, considering the fact that our country is also a tourist destination. Another aspect, is our county is Islamic, thus our severe means and laws are justified. The penalties and sentences are up to the judges who also define the level of punishment (death penalty or a life imprisonment). And when I asked a question about the corruption in the official body, Mr. Jazlan answered that corruption does exists and the government tries to reduce its level by adopting and conducting new methods of work against it.

Also I used an opportunity and asked about the upcoming discussion of the death penalty by the UN. As Deputy Minister says, this is all the internal affairs of Malaysia and its government will solve it independently. Our population is not that enormous and we do not want to lose our people to drugs. After our interesting conversation, I handed to Mr. Nur Jazlan Mohamad small gifts from Kyrgyzstan and the certificate where I had asked him to become an Honorable Member of the World League “Mid Free of Drugs”.

“A man can change”

Right after a warm meeting I left for my next visit to a private rehabilitation clinic “Penghasih”. Its premises reside among palm trees. I was met by Mod Yunus Pati, a 61 years old founder of the Center. Its first doors Center opened for its patients back in 1991, the same time I have founded my own Medical Center in Kyrgyzstan. Yunus Pati was not a medical doctor like me, he was a drug addict in the past, who once had been sentenced to jail, served his time, and now running the Center being clean for more than 20 years. While serving time, he realized the harm caused by drugs to people and society in general.

The stuff of Penghasih act and live as one family, solving everyday tasks and problems, trying to reach autonomy. Sure, there always a shortage of finance, and from time to time they must address to donation funds. Nevertheless, the Center’s program contains work therapy: sewing workshop, handcrafted souvenir workshop, beside, the Center is taking jobs for its members as street cleaning, auto mechanical works, car wash and so on.

Later, I have asked Yunis Pati how he feels about death penalty which is practiced in Malaysia for drugs smuggling, he replied to me that it is too harsh, and each person may make a mistake, and each person deserves a chance to change. According to his words, the main task of the Center’s members is to try to convince a newcomer that he or she can be a better person! We believe that people can change!

At the foothills of Petronas Towers

In order to compare the official information with the street one, I had to go on the streets. In trendy night clubs, such as ZOUK, a waiter with the name Arif, told me that drugs are not sold in the clubs, they are brought in. The dealers know that rich kids are scared to be caught in public places thus prefer buying drugs at less crowded places and spots. If you want to see a dealer, you should head to a cheap hotel, to a train station, a shebang, or to the area of Bukit Pitang.

Only hundred meters aside Petronas Towers, my new friends, Faizad, Mohmad, Raja, Turak and Safal, were rolling the tube with ganja (marihuana) which was easily bought by me along with 0,5 grams of a dangerous drug shuyab (ice, crystal…) for 250 ringgits. "Aren't you afraid to buy and use drugs considering death penalty used in the country?"- I was puzzled. But then the guys started telling me in unison about the corruption and that people who dealt with drugs in the past, today have become well respected businessmen or even official representatives. Thus, it is possible that in police force or upper law enforcement agencies there could be some figures, which still insure and protect some illegal businesses. The fellows told me that if they get caught by police with the possession of 1 kg of marihuana or 20 grams of hard drugs, this is a death penalty, however, most cases can be solved by bribery. They also mentioned that drug market in Kuala Lumpur is controlled by Chinese and Indians. I asked if children from well-educated families paid interest in drugs, the answer was “Oh, Yes!” answering in unison.

Warm reception

The next day I headed to NADA office (National Anti Drug Agency) for the conference. A Director General Suhaimi Bin Abdullah and his assistance were giving speeches and making some reports. There was an executive of the Royal Customs office, a special STING intelligent division agent, a representative of the Medical Department for Drug Treatment of NADA, and others. As Mr. Suhaimi states, the main problem for drug smuggling is a fast and lucrative business. Either the perpetrators get rich or get caught.

In my turn, I have spoken and demonstrated the practical work of the Medical Center of Dr. Nazaraliev, and the social activities of the World League “Mind Free of Drugs”. I was very touched by the warmth of the personnel in NADA office. In general, the whole system of prevention and fight against illicit drug trade is conducted at the highest possible level, systematically and severely. Later, I handed to General Director a copy of my book Fatal Red Poppies.

Royal Malaysian Police

On the last day of my stay in Kuala Lumpur, I got the chance to meet with the Assistance Director of International Liaison Narcotics Crime Investigation Department ( NCID) Ms. Hafisah Binti Adam.

I was told that 5,000 members are recruited in the department, and an average of 40 drug smugglers and 500 drug users are caught each month. The main import routs of drugs to Malaysia today lay from Nigeria and Iran.

The big problem for us at the airports is that we don’t have the power to inspect transit travelers, madam Hafisah says. I then asked this intelligent woman, who have four children, how she feels about the death penalty, and here is what she said: “I have been working in this system for the past 33 years, and can assure you that death penalty is an absolute, correct and effective mean for drug smuggling crimes in our country.”

I had an opportunity to meet with various groups of people in Malaysia, starting from politicians and finishing with descent citizens of the country. The biggest population of Malaysia respects its laws and very proud of their country. The volume of material I gathered in Malaysia and not mentioned in this article is yet to be processed and written in my book.

Prof. Jenishbek Nazaraliev