Prisons Dept mulls using public buildings to hold MCO violators: Sources

CORONAVIRUS | Following the government's announcement that all movement control order (MCO) violators would no longer be issued a compound and will instead be charged in court, the Prisons Department is looking at an unexplored option to avoid further overcrowding at its facilities nationwide.

Sources said the department might turn to other buildings that are available and suitable to be used as detention facilities, and turn them into temporary prisons to house the new convicts.

However, a source told Malaysiakini, this was still in the planning stage and subject to the Home Ministry's approval.

"We can put them at a place that can be declared as a temporary prison. This is one of the options we have now.

"Whatever it is, the decision is still up to the Home Ministry. But this is what the department is planning to propose as a solution, in order to prevent a Covid-19 outbreak in prisons," the source said.

According to sources, the idea is viable in the case of MCO violators as they are considered low-risk convicts.

Malaysiakini was told that the home minister can declare any suitable building as a temporary prison during an outbreak.

However, the sources did not elaborate on what type of building would be of the department's choice.

As of today, it is learned that close to 2,000 MCO violators, who were either sentenced to jail or failed to pay their fine, have started serving their sentences in prisons nationwide.

"For now, the way to lower the risk of a Covid-19 outbreak in prisons is to have them screened for the virus, and they are also isolated first at buildings that are separate from those housing the other prisoners," said a Prisons Department officer, who requested anonymity.

Yesterday, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Ismail Sabri Yaakob (above) announced that the police would no longer issue a compound against those who are found violating the order, which has been enforced to break the chain of Covid-19 infections in the country.

Instead, he told a press conference in Putrajaya, that the violators would be taken to court and charged with the offence. This approach would take effect starting today, which is the beginning of the third phase of the MCO.

On Sunday, Ismail had said that the issue of overcrowding at prisons would be discussed between the Prisons Department and police.

The prison overcrowding issue came to light as the police started arresting those who breached the MCO since it was implemented on March 18.

It also saw the Prisons Department director-general writing a letter suggesting to the court to halt sentencing MCO violators, stressing concern on the risk that new prisoners might trigger a coronavirus outbreak in prisons nationwide.

According to a spokesperson of the Prisons Department, 50 prisons nationwide are overcrowded. These prisons are intended for 52,000 inmates but today they hold some 73,000 prisoners. - Mkini