“Hardly a day goes by without arresting someone on drug charges. An average of 65 percent of the prisoners serving at Mawlamyine Prison and Thaton Prison has been imprisoned for drug cases. In the end, we hardly have any spaces left in the prison [due to] the drug arrests,” said the chief minister.

The chief minister told the Mon Hluttaw on June 5 that the drug issue can only be solved after the state become developed with cooperation between the government, hluttaw, and the public.

He was responding a question on drug eradication efforts raised by State Hluttaw MP Dr Aung Naing Oo from Chaungzon Constituency – 1.

Dr Aung Naing Oo asked how the state government has set down policies and plans to effectively tackle drug issues and crimes, how much budget has been spent from the state budget to implement these policies and plans, and how the staff number and machinery have been expanded for these issues.

“Since Dr Aye Zan has sworn in as chief minister, he said in his speech that he will take effective actions against drugs and crimes in line with the law. The chief minister is the leader of the state government so what has been spoken by the chief minister is the future plan that must be carried out by the state government. I’m asking this question because the public wants to know what has been carried out in accordance with the chief minister’s speech,” said Dr Aung Naing Oo.

However, the Mon State government has not drafted a definite drug eradication policy and no budget has been allocated from the state budget for drug eradication efforts. The state government does not have required equipment for carrying out the tasks and there are not enough doctors to rehabilitate the drug users, according to the Mon State government.