Transfer of prisoners from red and yellow zones to green zones to alleviate overcrowding

MELAKA - In an effort to address prison overcrowding, the Prison Department is implementing measures to transfer prisoners from red zone and yellow zone cells to green zone facilities.

According to Prison Department's Prisoner Management Director Ajidin Salleh, if there is a moderate increase in the number of prisoners, the red or yellow zones can still accommodate them.

However, if the increase exceeds 20 per cent, prisoners will be relocated to the green zone to alleviate overcrowding.

This approach aims to reduce congestion while also expanding the parole programme and prisoner release on licence, with a target of releasing 1,000 prisoners annually.

"The Ministry has approved the release on licence of offenders sentenced to three years or less, through the discretion of the Prison Director General in a meeting," Ajidin said.

He further noted that currently, only around five per cent of red zone prisons, particularly those in the East Coast states such as Marang in Terengganu and Pengkalan Chepa in Kelantan, as well as prisons in Sabah and Sarawak, face significant overcrowding issues.

Ajidin shared these updates during the 2022 Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) Excellence Award Day, held at the Malaysian Prison Department's Integrity School and Henry Gurney School in Telok Mas on Monday.

Ajidin (left) presenting an award certificate and cash to one of the excellent students at Henry Gurney School in Telok Mas on Monday.

He expressed his hope that a greater number of prisoners, up to two-thirds of them, would be reintegrated into the community earlier, emphasising the importance of rehabilitation beyond incarceration by 2030.

Ajidin also revealed that the forthcoming collaborations between public and private higher education institutions to provide offenders with opportunities to pursue further studies across various fields at an advanced level.

He highlighted that these opportunities would be offered to juvenile offenders and adult inmates through these collaborative efforts.

"For instance, in collaboration with institutions such as Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (Upsi), Open University Malaysia (OUM), and Asia College of Exercise Medicine (Acem), some prisoners are continuing their studies in Entrepreneurship Diploma at Upsi.

"They can pursue studies at various levels, from diploma to doctoral degrees, at Acem and OUM," he added.