MELAKA, Nov 29 — The Malaysian Prisons Department is turning the prison institution into a Civilised Humane Culture Development Centre (CHCDC) that emphasises high-impact rehabilitation to transform strayed souls into law-abiding citizens.
Prisons deputy commissioner-general (Community) Datuk Ibrisam Abdul Rahman said that prisons now are not only used as a place of punishment but transformed into an educational institution that gives offenders the opportunity to enhance their academic knowledge or skills training.
“Within this iron cell, we transform criminals into civilised people by applying discipline, spirituality and education by turning prisons into an educational institution that also has teachers, psychologists and doctors to guide them.
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“Through programmes drawn up in collaboration with other departments, agencies and companies or non-governmental organisations (NGOs), we turn them into trained and skilled human beings while hoping that employers can hire former inmates because they are no different from civilians,” he said.
He said this to reporters at the closing ceremony of the Yellow Ribbon Project which was done by the secretary-general of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Dr K Nagulendran and was also attended by the Department of Youth and Sports director-general Mohd Azhari Mohammad and Melaka Prisons director Datuk Roslan Mohamed at the Henry Gurney School in Telok Mas, here.
Commenting further, Ibrisam said the efforts carried out by the Prisons Department through this strategic collaboration is expected to bear fruits and stimulate positive change, especially in reducing the stigma of society towards prison inmates.
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He said, for example, at the Henry Gurney School, which has a licensed release programme, before the completion of their prison term, they will be placed in the industry to work, such as in the farming or restaurant sector.
“When they get that opportunity and snapped up by employers, it can help them live a better life which is in line with the Prison Department’s aim to reduce recidivism.
“We found that prisoners who follow this programme with the community have a very low recidivism rate which is only one per cent compared to those who don’t follow the programme which is 18 per cent repeat offences,” he said. — Bernama
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