KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 13 camps under the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) have been converted into satellite prisons in a bid to reduce congestion and COVID-19 infection in prisons nationwide.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Mohamed Said said the satellite prisons were to isolate new inmates before being transferred to main prisons.

"These temporary prisons are gazetted under Section 3 of the Prisons Act 1995 as admission prisons," he said during the oral question-and-answer session in Dewan Rakyat here today.

He said this in his reply to a question from Wan Hassan Mohd Ramli (PAS-Dungun) who asked about the government's plan to solve overcrowding in prisons following a rapid spread of infections among convicts, notably COVID-19 infection.

As of Aug 25, Ismail said based on data from the Malaysian Prisons Department, the total number of inmates in prisons nationwide was 69,507, exceeding the actual capacity of 61,242 people.

He said the cumulative figure for COVID-19 positive cases among convicts and prison staff was 51,123 including nine infants.

Ismail said among other steps taken by the Prisons Department was to transfer convicts to less crowded prisons.

He added that the department had set up transit centres at prisons to house convicts and those under remands who pose minimum security risks, by taking into account the need for isolation based on admission dates.

Responding to a supplementary question from RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) regarding COVID-19 vaccination for prisoners, Ismail gave a commitment that all prison staff and inmates will be inoculated.

-- BERNAMA