Pubdate: Mon, 25 Sep 2000 Source: Star, The (Malaysia) Copyright: 2000 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. Contact: 13 Jalan 13/6, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia Website: http://www.thestar.com.my Author: Anthony Tan WHEN ECSTASY PILLS SPELL BIG TROUBLE FOR PROPERTY OWNERS IPOH: Property owners who allow their premises to be used for the production of Ecstasy pills risk facing severe punishment. They could be arrested under the Dangerous Drugs Act for abetting their tenants in manufacturing the pills. Deputy Home Minister Datuk Zainal Abidin Zin said the authorities had made numerous arrests at rented premises in various parts of the country which were used to process the pills. He said such activities were carried out secretly in places such as residential areas. Zainal, who is also president of Pemadam (the Association for the Prevention of Drug Abuse), said arrests had been made in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Butterworth, Johor Baru and Sungai Petani. "We believe such activities are also being carried out at other places. We are now carrying out a nationwide surveillance,'' he said after closing a Pemadam course here on Saturday to train speakers on explaining the dangers of drug abuse to the people. Zainal hoped that property owners would investigate the background of would-be tenants before renting out their properties. He also urged companies which carried out maintenance at apartments and condominiums to tip off the police on illegal activities. He hoped other political parties would follow in the footsteps of the MCA to fight the Ecstasy menace. - --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck