KAJANG, 27 Sept 2017:
More than 17,000 prisoners had completed their jail sentence outside the prison walls under the parole system since it was introduced in 2008, said Prison Department director-general Datuk Seri Zulkifli Omar.
He said the achievement was very good as 99% of the prisoners on parole had managed to get employed, while the rate of recidivists was below 0.4% – because apart from parole, the department also has a Community Rehabilitation Programme.
Zulkifli said during the parole period, the prisoner would be monitored by a parole officer and is required to adhere to 41 conditions set by the Parole Board.
“Among the conditions are that the prisoner is not allowed to leave the country and that he or she must undergo all rehabilitation programmes planned by the parole officer,” he said after a Corruption-Free Pledge programme for the Prison Department at the Kajang Prison.
Asked whether all prisoners could apply for parole, Zulkifli said all prisoners could do so – except those who were convicted with offences under the Fourth Table of the Prison Act, which include rape, sodomy and death penalty.
– Bernama