Pondok Remaja Inabah 1,Malaysia- d' Padang Terap team

On day three of our posting in Padang Terap Health Office. We were briefed on the workings of the communicable disease control unit PPKP Tn.Haji Yaakob who is in charge of the HIV & TB unit. After a comprehensive briefing we were brought to visit a drug rehabilitation centre called Pondok Inabah 1 Malaysia. It is located in a remote place deep in the rubber estate in Pokok Sena district. It is a drug rehabilitation centre especially for Islam’s.

The centre focuses on religious upbringing and enhances the religious beliefs in the drug abuse victims and thus able to eradicate the addiction on the substance. It was said to originate from East Jawa, Indonesia in 1905, pioneered by a religious teacher named Tok Guru Abah Anom. Who set up a religious based drug rehabilitation centre there after concerning for many youngsters who were drawn into the social degradation. The methods of rehabilitation was then was learned by the Tok Guru from Malaysia who thus set up the Pondok Remaja Inabah 1 in Malaysia 28 years ago in Kedah.

Now there are 3 such centers in Malaysia and various counselors through out the country to help the Islamic youngsters to cope and free from such substance abuse behaviors. The methodology or “method” as they call it is fundamentally based on constant religious teaching and prayers. Its concept is to control and cleanse ones thoughts, lust and the heart or emotions. With that they are able to control their desires and thus refrain from such addictive behaviors able to channel their thoughts and desire in a positive channel.

Their main method of therapy is to bath in fresh water at 3am in the morning called “mandi taubat”, and then they pray and constantly chant religious scriptures. Despite that they also do various activities such as reading and group based discussions. They also undergo various vocational training in order to self sustain them in the future. The methodology used here is of a holistic approach as to refrain oneself from indulging in socially ill behaviors through inner self control and to be able to accept the community in a new perspective. Thus far their track record incredibly excellent with more than 4000 victims or “anak bina” have been successfully rehabilitated and have attained a very successful life.