Kota Kinabalu: Ex-convicts need to be given a second chance to return to society in order to reduce the rate of recidivism.
Minister of Industrial Development of Sabah Phoong Jin Zhe said the effectiveness of the Community Rehabilitation Programme (PDK) implemented by the Malaysian Prisons Department, especially in Sabah yielded good results in helping ex-prisoners.
“Since the parole system was introduced at the beginning of 2008, the Malaysian Prisons Department released approximately 4,181 parolees (ODP) from the prison walls into the community.
“In addition, the Prisons Department’s collaboration with corporate companies and employers in PDK is able to provide employment opportunities and a steady source of income in helping ex-prisoners live a more manageable and secure life.
“A programme like this will give the youth of our nation the opportunity to return to the basics and build a new life as a person who is useful to the nation and the country.
“If the prisoner is not given a job opportunity or given the opportunity to serve the Parole Order and only spend his sentence in prison, we will certainly lose the energy and time of the prisoner who clearly has the potential to help develop the national economy,” he said.
He said this in the Career Carnival Programme of Paroled Persons (ODP), Licensed Independent Persons (OBB) and Supervised Persons (ODS) with Employers Through the Corporate Smart Internship Programme (CSI) at the Mini Hall of the Central Prisons in Kota Kinabalu.
The text of his speech was delivered by Deputy Permanent Secretary (1) of the Sabah Industrial Development Ministry Benedick Bisoni.
In addition, he called on the community to support the Malaysian Prisons Department in order to help the people of the nation to reduce criminal misbehaviour in Sabah.
Phoong also said there were 20 companies that had collaborated with the Prisons Department under the CSI Programme, he hoped that the number of employers or corporate companies involved in the CSI Programme would continue to increase from time to time.
Also present Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons (Correctional) Datuk Ibrisam Abdul Rahman, Senior Assistant Commissioner (Deputy Director of Sabah State Prisons and Federal Territory of Labuan), Abd Rauf Lang Pasih and Deputy Commissioner of Prisons (Director of Parole and Community Services of the Malaysian Prison Department) Zawari Abdul Rashid.
