I refer to the article “Despite progress, long-term reoffending in Malay community still an area for concern: Shanmugam” (Jan 25).

At the first Malay/Muslim Organisation Rehabilitation Network conference held on Jan 25, Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam presented statistics on the progress of the Malay community in education and jobs over the years.

However, overshadowing all these was his revelation that the prevailing five-year recidivism rate of Malay offenders was 50 per cent.

Many felt the drug problem has persisted for far too long in the Malay community, and many of the agencies and individuals involved have become lost in the maze of programmes, both secular and religious, for a good many years.  

Many of the community welfare workers and social service agencies involved in providing support services to those who have undergone punishment say the programmes are effective, and yet have no supporting evidence. What is most needed now is an updated blueprint to help identify effective programmes and services that can help reverse the trend.

Mr Shanmugam also pointed out the increasingly difficult battle against drug abuse caused by the growing global supply of drugs and liberal attitudes towards drugs elsewhere which are influencing young people here.

With their limited resources, Malay/Muslim social service agencies are now at a crossroads to find new and more effective ways of preventing the young and children-at-risk from inter-generational transmission of this social problem.

The question is who they can work with if there is an updated safety blueprint so that they can replicate effective programmes to address intractable social problems with their scarce resources.

Osman V.P. Mohamed