PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has described drug abuse within the Malay community as a more serious threat than the presence of other ethnic groups in the country.
The Home Minister said the narrative portraying other races, particularly DAP, as a danger to Malays should be reconsidered, as social and economic problems were among the issues directly affecting the community.
He said Malays and Muslims were not threatened simply because other races lived alongside them, but faced greater risks when poverty, unemployment and drug abuse continued to affect young people.
“The Malays are not under threat because of other races. They are under threat when they are poor and when they make up the largest share of drug users,” he said at the 2026 PKR National Congress.
Saifuddin said data from the Government and the National Anti-Drugs Agency showed that Perlis, Kedah and Terengganu recorded drug use rates of about 1,000 cases for every 100,000 people.
He said those affected were generally aged 15 and above, with many having left school without proper educational qualifications and subsequently struggling to secure employment.
Saifuddin stressed that the problem needed to be addressed through greater opportunities for education and employment, particularly for young people who were vulnerable to social problems.
“If this is not addressed and job opportunities are not provided for young people, they will get involved in drugs,” he said.
He also described identity-based politics as a zero-sum approach, saying Malaysians should instead assess the Government based on its economic performance, achievements and ability to improve people’s lives.
According to Saifuddin, the country’s focus should be on expanding economic opportunities while strengthening efforts to combat corruption, rather than creating divisions by pitting one community against another.
He said a stronger economy and better opportunities for the younger generation would ultimately provide a more meaningful way of addressing the challenges facing the Malay community.
