# Malay: dadah



## kata2

Youth jailed for assaulting his teenage wife

" ............ Investigation revealed that the couple has been married for a year and they were quarrelling as his wife suspected him of taking dadah after finding an apparatus used for smoking drug in his bag. ............."

*Does "dadah" mean "illegal drugs" as well? *


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## Rani_Author

Yes. You are right 100 %.  In Indonesian, it's called "obat-obatan terlarang/ narkoba".


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## kata2

Thanks for your reply.


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## Rani_Author

Maybe you have edited your reply. But, I just want to affirm that "obat" is medicine. If we are sick and go to the doctor, doctor would give us any recipe to take any "obat". If the "obat" is plural form, we say "banyak obat" or "bermacam-macam obat". If we say "obat-obatan", although without word "terlarang", they are drugs. Illegal drugs.

Example:
- My father took *medicines* this morning (Ayahku meminum *banyak obat *tadi pagi).
- My friend died this morning because of *drugs* (Temanku meninggal tadi pagi karena *obat-obatan*).

Except in these contexts:
- The student learned about *medicines *in a pharmacy school (Mahasiswa itu mempelajari tentang *obat-obatan* di sekolah farmasi).  one of subject of fields of study.
- He should take *traditional/ herbal medicines *for the sickness (Dia harus meminum *obat-obatan tradisional/ herbal* karena sakit).  obat-obatan is followed by another adjective.


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## kata2

You are right. In ID, people get medicine from apotik by presenting the doctor's prescription.


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