KOTA KINABALU: 15 June 2026 – Sabah recorded a 5.9% decrease in the rate of drug addicts and substance abusers for the year 2025 compared to the previous year, placing Sabah as the best performing state in the country.
The Director-General of the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK), Dato’ Ruslin bin Jusoh, said in a media statement that based on statistics, 9,207 individuals were detected in 2024, falling to 8,665 in 2025.
Of that total, Sabah recorded a rate of 230 drug and substance abusers per 100,000 population.
“This success is clear proof of the effectiveness of integrated actions by all parties in curbing the supply of and demand for drugs and illicit substances in Sabah,” he said.
He made the remarks while attending the Sabah State Drug Prevention Council (MTMD) Meeting No. 1 of 2026, chaired by the Chief Minister of Sabah, Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji bin Haji Noor.
The meeting approved two policy papers aimed at sustaining this downward momentum towards the Drug-Free 2030 target. These are the expansion of the Drug-Free Workplace (TEKAD) Programme for the Sabah State Public Sector, and the empowerment of Anti-Drug Squad to build resilient communities – both presented by AADK and the Sabah State Anti-Drug Squad.
AADK also reported that the Drug-Free Aspiration Village (KABD) programme is now focusing on two pilot locations in Sabah – Kampung Likas in Kota Kinabalu and Kampung Benoni in Papar – as a proactive community intervention measure.
The initiative is further strengthened through the empowerment of the Anti-Drug Squad’s “United Against Drug Scourge” Programme, which demonstrates the effectiveness of strategic cooperation between the Federal Government, the Sabah Government, and local communities.
He added that AADK is actively rolling out the Drug-Free Aspiration Roadshow (JABD) at the national level, which was launched by the Sabah Chief Minister on 16 February this year, using a two-way strategic action cycle model – namely a ‘Top-Down’ and ‘Bottom-Up’ approach.
“This hybrid approach aims to mobilise the community in a holistic manner, thereby building a social defence wall starting from the family institution to reduce dependence on and demand for drugs or substances,” he said.
AADK expressed strong confidence that the solid commitment of the Sabah Government’s leadership will produce constructive, practical and high-impact results to ensure Sabah and Malaysia as a whole remain free from the threat of the nation’s number one enemy.
