Jackie Chan named Singapore’s first celebrity anti-drug ambassador
SINGAPORE – Action superstar Jackie Chan is Singapore’s new anti-drug ambassador and hopes to influence youth to say no to drugs.
He said his son, Jaycee Chan, who served time for a drug offence in Beijing this year, has hurt him but made him determined to tell young people to stay away from drugs.
The 61-year-old star was at the launch of a new anti-drug mobile game application at Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) on Thursday.
He said in Mandarin: “I never thought that it would happen to my family. I was so ashamed and so angry. But this incident made me more determined to influence people to say no to drugs.
“Don’t ever think that you won’t be hooked. When you take drugs, you harm yourself, your family and your country too. It’s a domino effect.”
Mr. Chan, who is also China’s anti-drug ambassador, said that his late father had warned him never to take drugs, join a secret society or gamble.
“But I gambled and I lost all the money he gave me and I ate bread for seven days. So you must remember – don’t take drugs, don’t join a gang and don’t gamble,” he said to thousands of cheering students crowded around the polytechnic’s auditorium.
Masagos Zulkifli, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Home Affairs was at the event.
He said: “We all have a part to play in the fight against drugs… When I first met (Jackie) and asked him to lend his support to Singapore’s anti-drug efforts, he agreed without any hesitation.
“I hope that he can inspire our youths to always say no to drugs.”
The new mobile app was an initiative of the Central Narcotics Bureau, and 12 final-year students from NYP worked on it for about nine months.
Called Aversion, players in the game try to avoid contact with drugs and various obstacle, as well as learning about the harm different drugs can cause.
“Preventive drugs education is our first line of defense in the war against drugs. We must build awareness and inform youths… so that they can make the right choice,” said Masagos.
