"They have been assessed at the National Narcotics Agency (BNN)-South Sulawesi Office," head of the South Sulawesi Police's Narcotics Investigation Directorate, Senior Commissioner Fajri, said.
The lawmakers, identified as KM from the National Mandate Party (PAN) and MW from the Golkar Party, were advised to undergo drug rehabilitation because they had fallen victim to drug misuse, he told local journalists.
Fajri said that Article 54 of Law No.35/2009 on Narcotics stipulates that drug addicts or people who have fallen victim to drug misuse must undergo medical and social rehabilitation.
Earlier, the South Sulawesi police reported that two members of Sinjai district's legislative body were arrested while trying to consume crystal meth at Maleo Hotel in Makassar city on July 31, 2023.
They were nabbed following the arrest of a drug courier, identified by his initials as A, who helped them obtain a sachet of the drug.
Police investigators have finished probing KM and MW's drug case, meanwhile, the duration of their drug rehabilitation will have to be clarified by the authorities at Sayang Rakyat Public Hospital, Fajri said.
Sayang Rakyat Public Hospital's spokesperson Sapril confirmed that MW and KM are currently undergoing drug rehabilitation at the hospital.
He, however, said he has yet to ascertain how long they will undergo rehabilitation because that will depend on the assessors' assessment.
ANTARA reported earlier that a joint survey conducted by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) in 2019 pegged the number of drug users in Indonesia at over 3.4 million.
The survey conducted in 34 provinces indicated that about 180 out of every 10 thousand Indonesians in the age group of 15 to 64 years were addicted to drugs.
The users of crystal methamphetamine, narcotics, marijuana, and other types of addictive drugs can belong to any community and socioeconomic and cultural background.
Hence, instances of politicians, students, and entertainers getting caught using drugs are not cause for surprise.
In August 2018, Ibrahim Hasan alias Ibrahim Hongkong, a member of Langkat district's legislative body in North Sumatra province, was arrested over his involvement in transnational drug trafficking activities.
The case led to Ibrahim being sacked from the National Democrat Party (Nasdem), which had paved the way for his political career and his election as a member of the district legislative body.
The government is aware of the alarming threat posed by drug abuse and addiction in the country. Since his first leadership term, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has been reminding the nation of the grave impact of drug use on Indonesia.
Translator: MD Fatir, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2023
