PELANGI Apartment Rukun Tetangga in George Town, in collaboration with Datuk Selvarajoo Erulandy, the chairman of the Bureau of Education and Drug Prevention (eradication) of the north east region, hosted an Anti-drug and Anti-gangsterism seminar.
The seminar, which was held at Pelangi Apartment Block 5, attracted about 50 residents on Nov 24.
Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Daniel Gooi Zi Sen, who launched the seminar, said it was important for residents to be aware of gangsterism and drugs in the community.
Daniel said most of the people who are involved with drug are teenagers.
“Young people use drugs for similar reasons that adults do. They want to change how they feel, they want to feel better or different,” Gooi said in his speech.
“Other reasons may include socialising with friends, feeling the peer pressure or the need to be part of a group, experimenting or wanting to take risks to escape from psychological or physiological pain.”
Gooi lamented the fact that many do not know even who their neighbours are because of their busy lifestyle.
He said even if a neighbour’s house is used as a lab for producing drugs, one might not be aware.
“We should foster good neighbourliness to combat this issue.
“When it comes to gangsterism, young people are easily influenced by social ills. So, it’s vital that parents and teachers play a crucial role in curbing youth involvement in crime in schools and at home.
“People involved in gangsterism activities are known to be weak people. This is because when they are not able to find the soft solution, they will choose the pathway of violence. In such cicumstances, they are called as a weak person.
“Parents at home should build a close and trusting relationship with their child from an early age, and support and encourage their child to have more than one group of friends.
“Allow your child to practise responsibility and develop good decision-making skills from an early age. It is better to keep yourself informed about drugs and educate your child on the dangers of drug use. Have open and honest discussions about drugs,” Gooi stressed.
Story & Pix by K.Thaarshenii