Former drug addict builds new life, owns four restaurants in Sabah

For over 25 years, Chok Juin Vui lived as a slave to methamphetamine, cycling in and out of prison and rehabilitation centers. Now, at 48, he has broken free from that dark past and forged a new life.

Chok, who hails from Tawau, Sabah, started using drugs at the age of 16. His life was marked by addiction, imprisonment, and failed attempts at recovery. He served a two-year, six-month sentence in New Zealand in 2003 for drug trafficking and use, followed by a two-year rehabilitation program in Kuala Lumpur in 2005. Despite these efforts, he relapsed and faced further incarceration and treatment from 2010 to 2017.

"After falling and trying to get up many times, 2020 finally became the turning point, and I successfully left drugs behind to start a new life," he told Utusan Malaysia. He ventured into the food and beverage industry, opening restaurants with a business partner. He now owns four establishments across Sabah.

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After falling and trying to get up many times, 2020 finally became the turning point, and I successfully left drugs behind to start a new life.

Beyond his personal success, Chok uses his dark past as a powerful tool for raising awareness, particularly among young people. He accepts invitations to speak at schools and government institutions across Sabah, sharing the steep price of drug addiction. He collaborates with the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) and the Narcotics Addiction Rehabilitation Center (PUSPEN) in Lahad Datu, delivering motivational talks and sharing his story.

Chok acknowledges the public's lingering fear and mistrust of former addicts, stating that society cannot be entirely blamed for such sentiments. However, he strives to demonstrate that redemption and a productive life are possible after overcoming addiction.

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My dark experiences are now my most valuable asset for approaching students and the community to personally tell them the price that had to be paid because of drugs.