Offenders Compulsory Attendance Order To Reduce Prison Overcrowding - Shamsul Anuar

KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Bernama) -- The Offenders Compulsory Attendance (Amendment) Bill 2025 passed in the Dewan Rakyat today, among other things, aims to reduce prison overcrowding, said Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah.

He said based on statistics on the number of prisoners under the Malaysian Prisons Department as of July 22, a total of 83,827 people were in prison facilities, while another 5,759 were undergoing rehabilitation in the community.

"If you look at the actual capacity, Malaysian Prisons Department facilities can accommodate only 76,311 prisoners," he said when winding up the debate on the bill.

Shamsul Anuar said the issue of prison overcrowding could cause an unconducive environment and have negative implications such as the risk of spreading diseases among prisoners and prison staff.

In addition, it could reduce the effectiveness of rehabilitation programmes, security risks due to unusual events such as riots and strikes, as well as increasing the government's financial burden.

The bill, among others, is to allow Offenders Compulsory Attendance (PKW) to be given to offenders convicted of offences punishable by imprisonment of not more than 10 years, compared to the current imprisonment of not more than three years.

Meanwhile, Shamsul Anuar said from 2010 to date, a total of 8,227 offenders have undergone PKW with a success rate of 94.5 per cent, while only 5.25 per cent had their orders cancelled.

He said among the modules implemented through PKW were intervention programmes, spirituality, counselling, religion and related courses.

The sitting continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA