ZAHID: STRENGTHEN REHABILITATION MODULES
Malaysia maintains low rate of repeat offenders, says DPM
AHMAD FAIRUZ OTHMAN KLUANG news@nst.com.my
THE rate of prisoners becoming repeat offenders after being released remains below nine percent, a rate much lower compared with some developed countries.
The recidivism rate stood at 8.59 per cent last year and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Prisons Department should strive to reduce it further.
Zahid, who is also home minister, said this was possible through the strengthening of rehabilitation modules.
“The international community acknowledges Malaysia’s achievement in retaining a low recidivism rate,” he said when launching the Prisons Day and National Anti-Drug Day 2017 celebrations at the Simpang Renggam Prison here yesterday.
Zahid said correctional efforts should continue to help ex-prisoners find their way back into society.
He said the establishment of the Malaysian Correctional Foundation could help prisoners find jobs after their release.
Up to 27,000 former convicts completed the rehabilitation programme outside the prison through the parole system, Compulsory Attendance Order, Community Rehabilitation Centre and transit homes.
Zahid also shared the success of rehabilitation programmes for juvenile delinquents and the academic achievements of students at Henry Gurney Schools (SHG) and Integrity Schools (SI).
“There were 68 students, who obtained at least one A, and another three students obtained seven As in last year’s Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).
“In last year’s SPM, 10 schools obtained 100 per cent passes in Bahasa Melayu and History. This was an improvement as there were only five schools in the prisons system with 100 per cent passes in the same two subjects in 2015.”
Zahid said there was a correlation between drug abusers and criminal activities as 48 per cent of prisoners were people involved in drug-related cases.
He said rehabilitation of drug abusers was not only about adopting medical and psychological approaches, but also the strengthening of their spiritual values.
“I would like to congratulate the National Anti-Drug Agency (Nada) for conducting rehabilitation programmes based on a psycho-spiritual approach under the Islamic spiritual rehabilitation programme. This is based on the Inabah Model at the Cure and Care Rehabilitation Centre in Raub, Pahang.”
Present at the event were Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, Prisons Department director-general Datuk Seri Zulkifli Omar and Nada director-general Datuk Dr Abdul Halim Mohd Hussin.