Almost 12,000 prisoners given parole

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 11,897 prisoners have completed their rehabilitation outside the prison walls under the parole system since 2008 says Prisons Malaysia director-general Datuk Seri Zulkifli Omar.
He said currently 543 people were undergoing parole.
"Since it was implemented in 2008, only a handful who completed their full release on parole repeated a crime and returned to jail. The achievement is very good compared to the success rate of the same system overseas," he said in a statement here today.
Zulkifli also said the success of the parole system conducted by the department depended on various aspects including acceptance by the family, community and the involvement of community members in the rehabilitation programme with the person on parole and employment opportunities.
"More than 90% of them lived with their families. Some who have no families or residence will be placed at Prisons Department Halfway Houses or houses provided by non-governmental organisations (NGO)," he said.
They have high employment opportunities as about 90% on parole were employed, he said.
Zulkifli said all prisoners who were eligible for rehabilitation, their achievement, type of offence and duration of imprisonment had their dossiers or reports submitted to the Parole Board for consideration.
"After being considered and approved, the parole order and its conditions will be issued by the Parole Board," he said adding that on parole order meant persons on parole were still tied to serve the remaining period of sentence and comply with the required conditions and not tantamount to a full release.
He said based on consideration of conditions and processes, the Parole Board had given a parole order to former Selangor Mentri Besar Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo yesterday.
The release was given after Mohamad Khir served six months in jail for using his position to obtain land and a bungalow in Shah Alam nine years ago.
The parole conditions stipulated that he must be around Shah Alam and Petaling Jaya during the two-month parole and remain in the house between 7m and 7am. — Bernama