SEPANG: IT takes moral courage to guide and integrate inmates to be part of society that embraces a positive lifestyle rather than continuously having judgment thrown at them.
Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said this was a collective responsibility of all members of society as efforts to champion the cause for youth should focus on a wider group, including inmates.
“This is a reality. Although there are not many of them and their voices do not reach the masses, they are still our citizens.”
He said although inmates had broken the law, to err was human.
“They are not perfect just like most of us who have made mistakes in the past.”
Syed Saddiq said this at the launch of the Yellow Ribbon Programme: Your Second Chance (Peka) in Bandar Saujana Putra here yesterday.
The programme allows low-risk prisoners to serve part of their sentences outside jail to rehabilitate and integrate them into society. They will receive skills and job training.
The programme is a collaboration between the ministry, Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB) and the Malaysian Prisons Department.
Syed Saddiq said as a caring society, we should not continue to let inmates be ostracised or return to crime due to a lack of job opportunities and acceptance from the public.
He said he initially faced backlash for trying to help this group.
“In the long term, we, as society, might pay the price if they go back to their old ways. I am grateful that in the 2020 Budget, the government had agreed to provide tax incentives to companies that are willing to carry out this programme.
“With our guidance, we can assure them of a better future.”
He said MRCB had achieved success in mobilising the effort to ensure the fruition of the Peka@MRCB programme.
This group is being trained at the Casting Yard for the Light Rapid Transit 3 project, managed by Reaplite Industry Sdn Bhd in Bandar Saujana Putra.
At the event, Reaplite Industry managing director Wong Su Yong presented 30 work contracts for Orang Diselia (ODS) or supervised inmates to Prisons Department deputy director-general (community) Deputy Commissioner-General Datuk Abdul Aziz Abdul Razak.
“Subsequently, phase two of the training, which will involve 60 ODS, will be held at two construction sites managed by MRCB.
“They are the Bukit Jalil Casting Yard and Depoh LRT 3 in Johan Setia, Klang, Selangor,” he said.
“Who else would give them a second chance if not us? I am confident that more companies will step forward to live up to this aspiration.”
After the launch of the programme, Syed Saddiq spoke to the inmates during a site visit.
“They are capable of doing their jobs and their hearts are in the right place. Their work ethics are commendable too.”
He said there was a perception that inmates would be half-hearted in carrying out their tasks.
According to MRCB, the inmates had proven themselves worthy of a second chance.
Syed Saddiq said the ministry would look into getting offenders of first and minor offences being de-registered in the police list after serving in the programme over a period of time.
“This was a suggestion by MRCB. It shows that the company has confidence in the inmates.”
Present at the launch were MRCB managing director Imran Salim, MRCB executive vice-president Datuk Dell Akhbar Khan, who is also the Peka@MRCB programme coordinator, and Prisons Department director-general Commissioner-General Datuk Sri Zulkifli Omar.