Zahid Hamidi: Prisons in Malaysia are Overcrowded, Exceed the Maximum Capacity of 74,000 Inmates

What if we told you that the prisons in Malaysia are overcrowded?

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, Dato Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the number of inmates placed in prisons across the country has reached 87,000.

Is this a big deal? Well, the maximum capacity of Malaysian prisons is only 74,000 detainees. 

Zahid Hamidi stated that cross-agency and ministry efforts need to be undertaken to address this issue.

“We will assist the Malaysian Prison Department to resolve this overcrowding problem with several proactive approaches after it was presented in the National Social Council meeting just now,” he said.

During a speech at the World Trade Center (WTC) yesterday (October 21), Zahid added that the government is always looking for solutions and making policy decisions regarding the direction of the country’s social development.

“The issues we discuss are not limited to social problems but also other issues, such as the management of vulnerable inmates.”

Other issues that Zahid mentioned during his speech include,

• Online sexual crimes against children
• Banking policies for persons with disabilities (PWD)
• Management of internally displaced persons
• Concerning dropout rates among secondary school students

The National Security Policy (NSP) 2030 sets targets for the country to rank 25th in the Human Development Index and the Corruption Perception Index, as well as to increase women’s participation in the labour force to 60 per cent.

To ensure all objectives are achieved, the government is implementing 44 key social action plans involving 19 ministries and agencies, with oversight from the National Social Council.

What do you think the government can do to solve the overcrowded prison issue?

Also read: “I promised the Judge I’ll carry my IC next time” – M’sian Spends 4 Days in Jail for Not Having His IC With Him