Khir Toyo granted remission and parole for good behaviour

PETALING JAYA: Former Selangor Mentri Besar Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo's one-year prison term has been cut short to eight months, and was granted parole, for good behaviour, Home Ministry said today.
Its secretary-general Datuk Seri Alwi Ibrahim said Mohamad Khir (pix), who was sentenced to 12 months behind bars on Sept 29, 2015, has been given a four-month remission by the Malaysian Prisons Department, and will hence only serve eight months until May 29.
"The Parole Board, which convened on March 29, has considered and passed Mohamad Khir's parole application after serving six months in Kajang Prison.
"He will be paroled to serve the remaining two-month jail term outside of prison until his release date on May 29. Under the country's prison system, a prisoner is qualified for remission, that is one third of his overall sentence, if the Prisons Department is satisfied with his rehabilitation while behind bars," he said in a statement today.
Alwi, however, pointed that Mohamad Khir's two-month parole would only stand if he does not violate the terms set by the Parole Board.
He said all offenders with a minimum of one year jail sentence are qualified to apply for parole, except for offences specified in the Fourth Schedule of the Prisons Act 1995 (Act537).
"The parole system, implemented since 2008, aims to provide opportunities to prisoners to adapt to the general public after serving their sentences.
"The first Parole Order involved 64 prisoners on July 26, 2008. And up to March 2016, 12,550 prisoners have been granted parole outside of prison," he added.
Mohamad Khir was granted parole on May 29 after serving half a year in Kajang Prison for using his position to obtain land a a bangulow in Shah Alam, nine years ago.
He was also required to report to the Parole Board's office in Klang each week and to adhere to 41 conditions during the parole period, including to remain in the areas of Shah Alam and Petaling Jaya over a period of two months, to be home between 7pm and 7am, and prohibited from issuing any statement to the media.
Under the parole system, the prisoner will serve his remaining sentence outside the prison and live with his family while under the supervision of a parole officer.