The education sector, particularly universities, expressed concern over the discovery of illegal drug storage at Makassar State University (UNM).
With this incident, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology is expected to take action immediately and involve campuses in the fight against drug trafficking.
The X Commission of the Indonesian Parliament requests the Education Ministry to establish a special task force to ensure campuses are free from drug trafficking and hoarding. Such a task force is essential for conducting surprise inspections to combat drugs within the campus environment.
Dr. Sindung Tjahyadi, the UGM Director of Student Affairs, believes that the revelation of drug safes at UNM reminds higher education institutions of their role in drug prevention. Universities are responsible for combatting drug abuse, especially within the campus community.
According to him, the commitment to maintaining drug-free campuses should be a collective effort to safeguard Indonesia against drug threats. One of the actions taken by UGM includes providing information about the dangers of drugs and instilling an anti-drug spirit among all members of its academic community.
“Additionally, we encourage everyone to monitor and report any suspicious activities or behavior changes of individuals around the campus,” he said on Monday (12/6).
As a form of surveillance and prevention in the eradication of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking, UGM has established a platform for students involved in anti-drug activities through Rajabandar (Movement to Stay Away from Drug and Smoking Hazards), previously named UP2N (Drug Prevention and Control Unit), founded in 2014.
The main objective of this community is to contribute to preventive actions against drug abuse and smoking in society in general and within the UGM community in particular. Promotional efforts include distributing leaflets, displaying posters, selecting anti-drug ambassadors, and educating and training anti-drug cadres.
Through these concrete steps, drug-free and clean learning environments can be created, leading to improved student performance and academic achievements and healthy and supportive relationships among students.
“Nevertheless, surveillance and prevention remain the joint responsibility of all academic community members, involving educators (lecturers), staff, and students,” he added.
In addition to forming Rajabandar, Sindung mentioned several existing campus policies implemented as preventive measures against drug-related incidents within the campus. These policies require prospective students who wish to enroll/study at UGM to provide a certificate proving they are drug-free. UGM collaborates with the police and the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) to create a drug-free campus.
“Therefore, if there is a desire to establish a Special Anti-Drug Task Force following the incident at UNM, I believe it plays a crucial role. The main task of this team is to implement integrated activities to combat drug abuse, prevent drug misuse, and curb illicit drug trafficking,” he explained.
The Special Task Force would also support the creation of clean and drug-free campuses, ensuring early prevention measures are in place to prevent drugs from entering the campus. If students involved in drug use are identified, they can be subjected to persuasive approaches.
“To detect drug abuse and use within the campus environment, we believe it is necessary to conduct regular urine tests for all members of the UGM academic community. If individuals are found to be involved in drug networks or drug use, I agree that appropriate sanctions should be imposed in accordance with Indonesian law,” he concluded.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Photo: Freepik.com