Ex convicts get jobs after rehab

March 29, 2016
By Olivia Miwil

olivia@nst.com.my

Pictures by Izhari Ariffin

KOTA KINABALU: Ninety-nine  per cent of the 21,189 prisoners who completed rehabilitation programme had secure jobs upon their release.

Prisons department director-general Datuk Seri Zulkifli Omar said the prisoners, released between 2008 and last year, were either working for others or self-employed.

“This shows that the department's rehabilitation programmes have helped ex-convicts to have a better life after they are released from prison.

“Last year, statistics also showed only 0.34 per cent relapsed into criminal behaviour, which is a small number,” he said after presenting 2015 Excellent Service Awards here yesterday.

Zulkifli added that in-house rehabilitation programmes had helped prisoners become spiritual, knowledgeable and skilful, while programmes outside the prison gave convicts a chance to re-enter mainstream society.

On another matter, he said the department is targeting less than five per cent of recidivism rate by 2020.

"The department will discuss with Economic Planning Unit (under Prime Minister’s office) on ways to lower the rate from current 8.7 per cent.

"The implementation (on action plans to meet the target) will take place this year," he said .

He added the move was adopted to overcome congestion of prisons.

Currently, there are about 55,000 prisoners in the country, while the total capacity of prisons nationwide stood at 52,600.

The department is managing the space by transferring prisoners to community-based centres or implementing the parole system. 

Present was Sabah and Labuan Prisons director Suria Idris.