KUCHING: For more than a decade, Nenny Diana Saimi has been at the frontline of rehabilitation work with the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) Sarawak.
As a rehabilitation officer, she has learned to balance empathy with firmness, managing thousands of clients struggling with drug dependence without letting emotions cloud her judgment.
Unlike those sent to rehabilitation centres for two years of compulsory treatment, Nenny’s clients undergo community-based rehabilitation.
This programme allows them to remain in their communities while reporting monthly to AADK, undergoing mandatory monthly urine tests, and taking part in various counselling and skill-building activities.
“It gives them a chance to turn over a new leaf without being isolated from their families and family support is very important here,” Nenny explained.
Currently, she oversees 1,162 clients across Kuching, Bau, and Lundu. The scale of the task is daunting.
Every month, she divides her clients into groups of 60 to 80 to manage their treatment in four phases. Each case requires strict monitoring.
A first positive drug test earns a warning and counselling. Repeat offenders, however, face police action and eventual court orders for placement in a rehabilitation centre.
The community programme itself runs for two years, and its scope goes beyond tests and check-ins.
Nenny and her colleagues work to expose clients to healthier lifestyles and future opportunities.
Volunteers are invited to run workshops on tailoring, cooking, and handicrafts, while male clients are often engaged in sports or outdoor activities such as hiking.
“The whole idea is to show them that there is life outside drugs,” she said.
“We want them to discover skills they enjoy and see the possibility of employment in order to give them a sense of purpose.”
Faith, too, plays an important role. AADK incorporates religious guidance into the rehabilitation process, tailored to each client’s belief.
For Nenny, it is a holistic effort, building skills, strengthening values, and restoring hope. But the challenges are real.
Time is limited, and with so many clients, the workload can be overwhelming. Some require more intensive individual or small-group counselling, while others struggle with relapse.
“We make the best out of it, even when it feels like there isn’t enough time,” she admitted.
Parents and guardians are also drawn into the process, especially for young adults.
“We try to get families involved because their support is crucial,” Nenny said.
Still, she knows the responsibility ultimately lies with the clients themselves.
“It is up to them to realise and change for the better. We can guide and encourage so that they are accepted and live alongside the society, but the choice has to come from within them,” she reflected.
For those who relapse, the consequences are harsher. The freedom of living within the community comes with accountability, and failing to seize the chance means facing tougher rehabilitation in a centre.
“This programme is their opportunity to change. I remind them often: take it seriously, because the next step will be much more difficult.”
Despite the challenges, Nenny remains committed. Her work, though exhausting, is fuelled by the hope of seeing clients rediscover their worth and rebuild their lives.
“It is tough for us too,” she admitted, “but if even one person changes for himself and their family, it makes all the effort worthwhile.”
By Connie Chieng