NILAI, 1 July 1, 2019- Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) plays its role as a public university that carries out its social responsibility to the community through its research group, the ASEAN Centre for Research on Drug Abuse (ACREDA) under the Islamic Science Institute (ISI) in the field of drug abuse prevention. With the inauguration of the pre-launch of ACREDA-Nexus 2019 by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International) Prof. Dr. Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman, ACREDA has been given a new lease of life as the National Drug Information Centre (N-DICE) as an information platform on the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of drug abuse. The event is aimed at introducing to the stakeholders and rebranding ACREDA to the local the community and society.

ACREDA assumes the role of a centre for reference and research on drug abuse that is complete and systematic as well as providing the latest information which can be obtained easily and quickly through the latest and modern information technology application system.

It was founded on 1 January 2010 due to the realisation of the need to help the country in dealing with its number one enemy, the drug abuse problem. Its establishment is based on the foundation of the Centre of Excellence under the Third Thrust of the National Higher Education Strategic Plan (PSPTN) which is Strengthening Research and Innovation in order to achieve this noble purpose

With the expansion and empowerment of Special Interest Group activities in drug abuse through the Graduate Diploma Program in Drug Abuse (Speciality Program for Alcohol and Drug Abuse-SPADA) offered at USIM since 2005, currently, the program is known as Master of Counseling in Drug Abuse.

A prelaunch was also held for the book Pencegahan Penyalahgunaan Dadah which is based on evidence. The book will be distributed to PPDa teachers, school counselors, department heads and community leaders and is expected to be launched at the end of the year in conjunction with the meeting of the Cabinet Committee in Combating Drug. This book was written by Dato Dr Abd Halim Mohd Hussin as ACREDA Research Fellow, Gobind Singh Deo, the Minister of Communications and Multimedia as the Chairman of the National Drug Prevention Education Action Committee, and Associate Professor Dr Muzafar Shah Razali from UPSI.

Representatives from AADK, PDRM, JAKIM, KKM, and Persatuan Pengasih Malaysia were also present at the event.

Prepared by:
Noorumaina Mohamed Yunus
Pusat Komunikasi Strategik (StraComm)
Aras 1, Canselori Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM)
71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan