Terengganu tops Malaysia for drug abuse prevalence, prompting intensified interventions
The National Anti-Drug Agency reports that Terengganu has the highest drug abuse rate in Malaysia, at 735 cases per 100,000 people.
In a recent statement, Ruslin Jusoh, director of the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK), highlighted that Terengganu records the country's steepest drug abuse prevalence, at 735 individuals per 100,000 population, with Kelantan, Kedah and Perlis trailing closely. He noted that the region's geography creates smuggling corridors that heighten risk. To counter the trend, AADK has intensified law-enforcement actions, conducting 4,253 operations nationwide and detaining 30,157 people for treatment and rehabilitation.
The agency also rolled out 242 prevention and public-awareness programmes, engaging 16,408 participants, especially in the four most affected states. Since the 2025 amendment to the Narcotics Act, voluntary treatment uptake has risen from 75 to 232 individuals per month. AADK pledged continued data-driven targeting of high-risk areas and collaboration with state governments, education institutions, families and communities.
Why it matters
High drug abuse rates in Terengganu signal a regional crisis that demands coordinated enforcement and health interventions.
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