KUALA LUMPUR, 5 April 2020:
The Prisons Department has confirmed there have been no Covid-19 positive cases among its staff and inmates since the pandemic began.
However, appropriate steps have always been implemented to prevent the spread of the virus in prisons, including carrying out health checks on those on duty.
“Other than that, each (new) inmate will be quarantined for health check purposes. If they show any symptoms of the virus, the prison authorities have prepared isolation blocks and quarantine centres for them,” the department said in a statement today.
It said several initiatives had been carried out, including sanitising the whole prison area, adding that affected families and parties should give full cooperation and place their trust in the Prisons Department to carry out its responsibilities as the leader in corrective services.
“It is hoped that with continuous efforts and prayers, our country will be free of the pandemic soon.”
Today, an incident which went viral on social media alleged that a personnel and two inmates from the Kajang Prison had been infected with Covid-19 and also that other inmates were not allowed to contact their families.
Meanwhile, inmates in 12 prisons throughout the country are making personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers managing Covid-19 patients.
Deputy Home Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Mohamed Said said all sewing workshops in these prisons were giving priority to making PPEs because of the urgent need for them now.
“This is the initiative of the Prisons Department to help lighten the burden on the government in handling the COVID-19 issue, as well to reduce the risk faced by these frontliners, especially the healthcare staff.
“We are grateful for the effort by the inmates who are working hard everyday to ensure adequate supply of PPE, and they are doing it voluntarily.”
Ismail spoke after visiting the sewing workshop at the Penor Prison here today with Pahang Prisons director Datuk Ab Basir Mohamad and director of Penor Prison, Datuk Abu Hasan Hussain.
He said the effort by these prisons had the support of their state governments which contributed the material and distributed the PPEs to the hospitals.
“This kind of response will help lessen the stigma which is often associated with prison inmates, and hopefully, the public will accept them as they have repented.”
Ismail said the skills the inmates learnt from the prisons will help them start a new life and many had said they intended to make sewing a source of income when they are released later.
– Bernama