Man's best friend, Duyun finally gets a new partner
KOTA KINABALU: Duyun, a 13-year-old trained Labrador who has been Sabah’s lone narcotics detection dog, will soon no longer work alone.
After years of tirelessly sniffing out drugs smuggled through the state’s entry points, Duyun will soon be joined by a new K9 partner named ‘Junior DJR’.
The new sniffer dog is currently undergoing four months of intensive training with its handler at the police headquarters in Bukit Aman before being deployed to Sabah.
Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk James Ratib, who named the new sniffer dog, said the additional canine would strengthen efforts to curb drug trafficking through Sabah’s airports and seaports, which remain vulnerable routes used by syndicates.
“The current cost for a trained detection dog is about RM80,000, not including its upkeep, which is even higher. For future needs, we will require at least five or six dogs so that every major airport and port in Sabah has proper coverage,” he said.
James, who is also the Sabah PEMADAM chairman, told reporters this at the symbolic handover of the new K9 to the police at its headquarters in Kepayan, here, on Monday (Sept 22).
He said the fight against drugs must be prioritised and supported at both state and federal levels.
“Drugs are the number one enemy of the country. We must go all out. If we cannot eradicate them entirely, we must at least reduce their threat. Although enforcement is under federal agencies, Sabah must come first. We are ready to step in to support,” James added.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun confirmed that Duyun, a male Labrador, has been serving for over a decade but is now nearing retirement age.
“At present, only Duyun covers the entire state, which is a very heavy workload. With Junior DJR joining, the burden can be shared. But we still need more dogs to ensure effective coverage,” he said.
Jauteh said most drugs were smuggled into Sabah through legal entry points, including courier services and airports, making detection dogs a critical frontline tool.
“These dogs are very valuable in our efforts to combat drugs. Currently, we are short of K9s, especially for narcotics detection. That is why this contribution is very meaningful.
“If we want to stop drugs from entering Sabah, we must unite. Each of us holds different keys to the same doors, and only together can we prevent syndicates from penetrating these entry points,” he said, adding that the police, PEMADAM, the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) and Customs must continue working together.
The symbolic handover of the new K9 was made to Sabah Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department chief Asst Comm Alhusin Halil.
Alhusin said the handler, who hails from Sabah, will also undergo training with Junior DJR.
“The dog is still considered ‘green’, but with its handler from Sabah, the partnership is expected to strengthen our local capacity in drug detection once they are deployed,” he said.
The new dog’s breed and full details remain under wraps until its training is completed, but the police are optimistic that it will adapt quickly to local operations.
Man's best friend, Duyun finally gets a new partner
