{
  "id": 12083440,
  "title": "Drug addict numbers hit 130,307 as of June says home minister",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/drug-addict-numbers-hit-130-307-as-of-june-says-home-minister",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-05T05:14:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/10/05/drug-addict-numbers-hit-130307-as-of-june-says-home-minister/237761"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On October 5, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced that 130,307 drug addicts were recorded in the country as of June. He highlighted Terengganu, Kelantan, Kedah, and Perlis as regions with concerning drug use trends, with rates per 100,000 people reaching 735, 694, 669, and 646 respectively, surpassing the national average of 381 cases. During a press conference, Saifuddin discussed the demographics of the drug addicts, revealing that the 15-to-39 age group was the most prevalent, and most had completed at most the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) qualification. Employment-wise, the majority were unemployed, followed by self-employed and private sector workers. Saifuddin emphasized the need for data-driven policies and urged the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) to act on these findings. He also stressed the importance of strong political will and cooperation among all parties to tackle the drug issue, which now affects the nation as a whole.",
  "summary": "BENTONG, Oct 5 — A total of 130,307 drug addicts were recorded in the country as of June, said Home Minister Datuk...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}