Policing Pains: Malaysia’s Police Force is Fighting Its Own Meth Meltdown
Brighter booted boots aren’t the only thing lighting up the streets of Kuala Lumpur. Inspector‑General Abdul Hamid Bador admits the country’s own cops are trading the badge for a bottle of crystal meth — shabu — and the numbers are climbing faster than a trending meme.
Why Myanmar’s Mules Matter
- Malaysia sits smack a sweet spot for drug smuggling, especially crystal meth heading into Singapore and beyond.
- Last year’s police raids snagged the highest ever haul of shabu, with most of it hailing from Myanmar.
Inside the Inner Circle
“We’ve seen the addict count double, and not just civilians but our own men. Every week we’re arresting fellow officers high on meth,” Bador told reporters. He stopped short of explaining staffing tactics, hinting instead that the problem is “huge.”
“I can’t picture how the drug menace gets under control in this country,” he added, hinting at a crisis that might need more than a few sweeps.
Stats That Light Up the Dark
- Drug addicts counted at 25,267 last year, a slight dip from 2017’s spike.
- However, the figure is still less than the 31,000 in 2016.
To combat the buzz, the authorities are eyeing a rethink on penalties: possibly slashing fines and jail for tiny personal‑use drug amounts while retaining punishments for larger or trafficking cases. “If you’re caught with a tiny stash, maybe a fine instead of a five‑year sentence,” might be the new mantra.
One Cautionary Tale
For now, the only bright side in this murky tale is that a strong chorus of support is bubbling from the community (and from those who see their own officers entangled in the same problem). It’s a story of grim reality & the hope that with fresh ideas the perfections of policing can prevail over the perils of addiction.
