SHAH ALAM, 29 Dec: The State Government is urging all parties to not marginalise ex-drug addicts or those labelled as ‘People Under Supervision’ (OKP).
Welfare Executive Councillor Rodziah Ismail said that these people should be given due attention so that they can build up resilience to re-assimilate into society and to not be left behind in the state’s or country’s development era.
She delivered this speech this morning when she officiated the Former Drug Addicts Personality Strengthening Seminar at Wisma PKPS here.
“The State Government is always working to ensure all parties have a place in society, without discrimination against certain groups of people, even the OKP.
“They should be given the chance to prove that they have already changed and are ready to face challenges just like everyone else in the employment sector and so on.
“This is the greatest challenge of these group of people but we are confident that with determination and cooperation of all parties, this will definitely be overcome,” Rodziah, who is also the Chairperson of the Selangor Drug Prevention Assosiation Malaysia (Pemadam), stressed.
The seminar was a motivation programme jointly organised by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) with Pemadam, Pengasih and Budi organiation.
In the meantime, the Chairman of MAIS Al-Riqas Recovery Devision, Hafizatuk Akmal Abd Jali said that his division will increase assistance to OKP next year.
“The assistance programme has already been initiated in March this year and so far, we have more than RM1 million in provisions to help these people in various forms and methods.
“Among others, we provide financial assistance and subsistence allowance to those who qualify, recovery assistance centres apart from helping them get jobs,” Hafizatul added.
Apart from Rodziah and Hafizatul, also present were the Chairman of Selangor Pengasih, Che Pei Omar, Selangor Pemadam Honorary Secretary, Norfazli Ismail as well as the Meru Assemblyman who is also the Selangor PAS Commissioner, Dr Abdul Rani Osman.
The one-day seminar targeted 300 OKP from all districts in Selangor and is open to all races.
