ALOR STAR: The Prison Department will upgrade several quarters that are increasingly ageing to provide comfort to members of its staff to boost their quality of service and efficiency when on duty.
Department director-general, Datuk Seri Zulkifli Omar said the move was necessary since there were still prison quarters being built out of wood, which were too small for occupation and had limited rooms.
‘’Two quarters are expected to be upgraded from next year (2020), namely, the Seremban Prison and the Correctional Academy of Malaysia in Langkawi. Other quarters, most quarters prior to this were made of wood, will be upgraded in stages.
‘’Currently, the government is upgrading existing quarters to look after the welfare of the staff.
‘’This is good to create a more comfortable home environment so that the personnel can give a better service to the department,’’ he told reporters after launching the Alor Star Prison Staff Quarters.
The quarters were built at a cost of RM6.14 million, comprising 24 units of accommodations.
Each unit had three bedrooms and three bathrooms. The other facilities available included 35 car parking bays and a 31-motorcycle parking amenity, meeting room, recreation room, kindergarten, co-operative and surau.
Zulkifli said the upgrading of the Kajang Prison’s quarters had also been completed and it had been launched recently.
Meanwhile, Zulkilfi said over 2,000 ex-convicts had become employed through the Yellow Ribbon Project which was introduced by the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) with the Malaysian Prison Department in October last year.
He said most ventured into the construction, plantation and manufacturing sectors.
‘’We will expand the project and provide more opportunities especially to young former convicts after this,’’ he added. - Bernama
