Senate panel calls for reforms to ease prison congestion

 

Senate president Rais Yatim says there is overcrowding in 25 of Malaysia’s 38 prisons. (Prison Department Facebook pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: A special Senate committee has recommended that the government conduct prison reforms for short and long term to solve the problem of congestion in prisons.

Dewan Negara president Rais Yatim said the move involved aspects of ensuring health, cleanliness, effectiveness of the notations of the penal code, avoiding the atmosphere of “neglected prison” and other prompt measures, due to the current prison congestion as it is one of the causes of the rapid spread of Covid-19.

“Amendments to the existing law (Prisons Act 1995) and its methods are seen as urgent. In addition (other proposals) to study the prisoner system to carry out alternative sentences in society. Obtain and adopt new approaches so that the question of enforcement is not underestimated,” Rais said.

“Expanding the mechanism for the release of prisoners by special permission or those licensed with the conditions of public safety as well as the anti-Covid-19 approach must be done immediately to prevent the spread of more wall clusters,” he said.

Rais said such considerations were needed because the issue of prison congestion in the country should be given attention following the increasing number of Covid-19 cases among prisoners.

He said the Dewan Negara as a legislative body was responsible for finding the best solution related to the issue of prison infrastructure which could not accommodate the number of prisoners when the number of criminal cases involving imprisonment or detention increased.

“This has caused 25 of the 38 prisons nationwide to be overcrowded. The total number of prisoners nationwide is 68,730, while the number should not exceed 52,000 people,” he said. - FMT