Prisons dept will form committee to tackle overcrowding in prisons

Its Commissioner General, Datuk Nordin Muhamad said the committee would also be studying the effectiveness of the methods used by the prisons in Sarawak to see whether these could be applied at all prisons in the country.

"We (Prisons Department) have asked the policy division to set up the committee fast to see the methods' uniqueness for Sarawak in controlling overcrowding at the prisons.

"In Sarawak, the prisons are not at full capacity yet (91 per cent)," he told reporters after the Prisons Department's presentation of medals ceremony 2021, Sarawak Zone, at the Puncak Borneo Prison auditorium, here, today.

He said that out of the six prisons in Sarawak, only the one in Puncak Borneo and Lambir Prison in Miri were experiencing overcrowding.

Asked on repeated offences or recidivism committed by former prisoners, Nordin said the Sarawak prisons had a good record of under 0.3 per cent compared to the overall average of 13.86 per cent.

"This matter also needs to be studied, whether it's due to the system, processes, different priorities practised, the culture and lifestyle in Sarawak which the others can emulate," he added.

At the ceremony, Nordin presented the Johan Bakti Medal to Sarawak State Deputy Secretary, Datu Dr Sabariah Putit for her commendable services to the department's rehabilitation system while 25 prison officers received the Commissioner General's Medal Class One and Class Two.