KUCHING: In an effort to ease the transition of convicts back into society, the government is planning to establish a training institution to help them develop marketable skills.
The institution will become a step up from the existing skills workshop currently available in every prison.
“With these skills, we can help them get a job when they can leave prison.
“They can finally be independent and stay away from their former life of crime,” Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop said yesterday.
He was visiting the Sarawak Prison Department headquarters at Jalan Puncak Borneo near here for a routine briefing with the department officers.
According to him, the first institution, which will be based in Melaka, will offer inmates training in automotive, electrical and air-conditioning industry, among others.
“Currently, all prisons have such a programme, but at a small scale. We want to create something bigger and more specialised,” Abu Seman explained.
“We realise that if these inmates can leave prison with a new job, they will be more comfortable with returning to society and not resorting to their old profession.”
Prison director-general Datuk Wira Zulkifli Omar and Sarawak Prison director Mohd Zawawi Abdul Rahman were present.