Malaysia's ex-drug addicts face job hurdles due to criminal records

In Malaysia, a significant hurdle prevents around 1.3 million former drug addicts from securing jobs and establishing new lives: the enduring stigma and punitive legal framework. Records under the Registration of Criminals and Undesirables Act 1969, often referred to as Act 7, brand nearly half of the 2.6 million individuals registered since 1969 as criminals and undesirables. This label disqualifies a substantial portion from employment opportunities, effectively undermining their rehabilitation and chances of contributing to society.

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Job issues are very concerning when nearly 1.3 million individuals are labeled as criminals and undesirables due to Act 7 records, indirectly demolishing their opportunities to fully recover and return to serve society.

Khalid Hashim, president of Komited Malaysia, highlights the alarming impact of this "Act 7" label. He states that it "demolishes their opportunities to fully recover and return to serve society." To combat this, Hashim advocates for initiatives aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He points to Medan Selera The Kacik 1998, a social business model developed by Komited Malaysia, as a successful example. This initiative serves as a platform for social support and offers second chances through micro-entrepreneurship, aiming to reintegrate former addicts into the community.

Dr. Mohammad Ramzi Zakaria, a lecturer at UNIQSAAS, echoes these concerns, emphasizing the urgent need for authorities to address the employment eligibility issues for those registered under Act 7. He notes that the inability to find stable work due to past records is a primary factor in the failure of reintegration. "If their worries and fate continue to be ignored, these individuals face the risk of falling back into drugs due to life pressures and emotional stress," he warns.

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If their worries and fate continue to be ignored, these individuals face the risk of falling back into drugs due to life pressures and emotional stress.

Both experts agree that social business models like Medan Selera The Kacik 1998 should be expanded nationwide. This approach, which has proven effective in reducing relapse rates and humanizing former addicts through employment, offers a concrete step toward improving their lives and fostering societal inclusion. The success of such models can serve as a benchmark for government agencies and NGOs across Malaysia.

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Social business models like Medan Selera The Kacik 1998 should be expanded nationwide as a concrete step to improve the fate of and provide second chances to these individuals.