{
  "id": 17557735,
  "title": "Drugs not Kelantan’s problem alone, says deputy MB",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/01/drugs-not-kelantans-problem-alone-says-deputy-mb-17557735",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-01T06:35:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/11/01/drugs-not-kelantan-s-problem-alone-says-deputy-mb"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kelantan deputy chief minister Fadzli Hassan has stated that the fight against drug addiction in the state is a collective responsibility, not solely the government's task. He underscored that this issue is exacerbated by the state's proximity to Thailand, making Kelantan the primary entry point for narcotics syndicates before they spread the drugs to other regions. Fadzli emphasized that while borders bring opportunities, they also bring challenges, and Kelantan's international border is a double-edged sword. He acknowledged that the state does want to shoulder its responsibilities, but he called for a unified effort from all relevant agencies to tackle the problem without finger-pointing at others' shortcomings. In June, the national anti-drug agency reported that Kelantan had the highest drug abuse rate in the country with 1,105 addicts per 100,000 people. The state's police force has been implementing a strategy where station chiefs aim to arrest at least one drug addict daily, though some chiefs were recently reprimanded for falling short of this target.",
  "summary": "Fadzli Hassan says having an international border makes the state more easily accessible to syndicates.",
  "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."
}