KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian prisons have been recognised as among the best in the world for the emphasis on the welfare and rights of the inmates, says a Prisons Department senior officer.

Illustrating this point, Assistant Commissioner Abdul Kadir Jailani Ismail said prisoners are fed four times daily with a diet approved by the Health Ministry.

“The menu varies according to each week of the month but the meal is sufficiently nutritious and fruit is also given,” he said during a presentation.

Abdul Kadir was speaking at the “Safer Malaysia Conference” which was held yesterday at the National Defence University of Malaysia in Sungai Besi.

“The Prisons Department is very sensitive about the rights and welfare of inmates and provides professional service based on the human values of fairness and equitability.

“All inmates are treated fairly in accordance with standard procedure regardless of race, gender or political affiliation.

“Although these are prisoners who have committed various crimes, we treat them like normal human beings,” he said.

“They have done the crime, now they are doing the time, so there is no reason to treat them any differently.”

Abdul Kadir said on average, the department spends about RM35 for a prisoner daily, which includes utilities and shelter.

“There are more than 40,000 prisoners currently incarcerated in various Malaysian prisons,” he added.

He said the number of repeat offenders had decreased to 8% from the previous 20% in 2010, a success attributed to the human development programme.

“We launched the programme after 2010 to alter our focus from merely rehabilitating to teaching prisoners how to be independent and not resort to crime.

“We also try to teach the prisoners vocational skills, knowledge and to change their attitude towards society and the law.

“Take inside the prison for example. Fights and disputes have lessened because they are well-fed and are healthy without worrying about being hungry.”

Abdul Kadir declined to reveal the annual budget allocated to the Prisons Department, but said the parole system is one way of cutting costs. — The Malaysian Insider

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on January 23, 2015.