KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 70 prisoners from three states were released on licence on Thursday (Aug 29) under the Ihsan Madani Licensed Prisoner Release Programme (PBSL) in conjunction with the 67th National Day celebration.
The states involved are Perak, Perlis, and Kelantan.
In Perak, 34 individuals in prisons across the state were released through the PBSL programme.
Perak State Prisons director Deputy Commissioner of Prisons C. Charin Promwichit said that out of the total, 14 were from Tapah Prison, 13 from Taiping Prison, and seven from the Kamunting Correctional Centre.
"The PBSL programme has its conditions for release. For the first category, the individuals (prospects) must have received a prison sentence of no more than one year. The second category is for those serving one to three years, and the third is for vulnerable groups.
"Additionally, the PBSL programme also considers prospects from the elderly who cannot take care of themselves and pregnant women," he said during a press conference after attending the Ihsan Madani Release Programme in conjunction with the 67th National Day celebration at Tapah Prison here on Thursday.
He expressed hope that all those released under the PBSL programme would change and become useful individuals for society and the country.
In Perlis, State Prisons director Raja Nazril Azman Raja Azam Iskandar said 22 inmates from the Perlis Correctional Centre (Malaysian Prisons Department) in Arau were released early on Thursday.
"All inmates released on licence will be monitored by their respective district parole officers. They do not need to go to the parole office, as the officers will visit their homes. They are only allowed to leave their homes between 8am and 5pm," he said.
One of the inmates, known only as Ad, in his 20s, said he was supposed to be released in two months but was unexpectedly released early for National Day.
"I was imprisoned for a drug offence on Jan 29, and now I am very happy to be released early. Today, I get to see my mother. I vow not to repeat the same mistakes and to take care of my mother," he said.
In Kelantan, 14 individuals from the Machang Moral Rehabilitation Centre (PPA) were released on licence under the same programme.
Machang PPA director Mohd Nasir Yusof said that as of August this year, 1,035 prisoners had been released as Licensed Free Persons (OBB).
"A total of 262 PBSL prospects are currently on parole in various districts such as Kota Bharu (38), Tanah Merah (70), Bachok (57), Kuala Krai (63), Besut (28), Kuantan (Pahang) (3), and Seberang Perai (Penang) (3).
"The rest have completed the process (parole) and returned to society,” he said, adding that all PBSL participants have been placed in sectors such as plantation, manufacturing, construction, and agriculture. - Bernama
