KUALA LUMPUR: The Yellow Ribbon Project aimed at providing job opportunities to former offenders especially youths, as well as problematic youths is a proof of the government’s concern for the targeted group.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) in October last year introduced the project to provide a second chance for young former offenders and those from rehabilitation juvenile schools to be accepted back into the community.
The initiative collaborated with the Prison Department and differing non-governmental organisations (NGOs) was aimed at providing them with opportunities for employment, education and life in the community without discrimination.
The effort would directly help the youth concerned to return and serve the community without being burdened by their past mistakes.
President of the Malaysian Youth Council (MBM) Jufitri Joha said the main issue for former offenders was to regain trust from the community, employers and even their own families.
Hence, he said the support from the society was important for them to regain their confidence and to provide assurance that they will receive equal treatment when they returned to society.
In fact, MBM which was also involved in the Yellow Ribbon Project helped by providing job coaching to the young prisoners before they were released from the prison.
“We brought potential employers to the prisons to explain the scope of work and industrial needs to them.
“There were even employers who directly offered jobs to them, so before they were released, they already secured employment and could start working immediately,“ he told Bernama.
Pakatan Harapan (PH), who led the Federal government since May 9 last year, has been giving special attention to the former offenders in their policy, which was proved in the Budget 2019 which gives additional tax cuts to employers who employed the targeted group. — Bernama
