ASEAN Called on to Tighten Room for Drug Crimes

Yogyakarta - ASEAN parliaments are urged to be active in tightening the room for narcotics traffics in this region. Narcotics trade involves massive funds and almost no law has been effective in fighting the crime, Marzuki Alie, the president of the Inter Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) said. Without serious efforts, it would be difficult to prevent the illicit trade from expanding, Marzuki said when opening a session of AIPA Executive Committee here on Monday. Therefore, AIPA should be serious in seeking to eradicate narcotic trade by producing legal frame work to give no room for the crime in this region, the Indonesian House Speaker said. He suggested forming a task force grouping lawmakers academicians, law enforcers and anti drug activities to cope with the problem. Meanwhile Yogyakarta deputy governor Sri Paku Alam IX said narcotics trade has been out of control in this region. Sri Paku Alam said the law enforces have so far succeeded only in touching the tips of the iceberg nabbing small traffickers and users. (*)