KUALA LUMPUR : An advocacy group for reform wants the government to establish a white paper — a comprehensive guide — before implementing home detention to prevent unfair treatment.
Project Stability and Accountability for Malaysia (Projek Sama) claimed that in many countries, home and hospital detentions have been abused by rich and powerful convicts while those from ordinary backgrounds are often denied such opportunities.
The group warns of the loss of trust towards the Madani government should former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who was convicted of corruption, be allowed to abuse the home detention privilege.
"A rigorous white paper will build public confidence that home detention will not similarly become a privilege or 'priority lane' for powerful criminals, or worse, be abused as a bargaining chip in political deals.
"This white paper must be tabled and debated in Parliament before any changes are made to laws, by-laws or administrative orders," the group said.
"A white paper on home detention will assure the public of the prudence, integrity and abuse-proof design of the policy.
"A white paper will help restore local and international confidence in Malaysia, encourage investment and help curb the free-fall of the ringgit," the group said.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail previously announced that the government had agreed in principle to implement the Licensed Release of Prisoners (PBSL), through home detention, for prisoners serving jail time of four years and below, as an effort to reduce overcrowding in prisons.
Saifuddin said his ministry was examining the implementation from the point of view of relevant legal provisions.
"It needs to be reviewed whether it is sufficient to amend the existing laws, or whether there is a need to enact a new law under the authority of the Prisons Department director-general or the Home Ministry.
"I asked the Home Ministry secretary-general (Datuk Ruji Ubi) to review and provide feedback... this matter must be expedited," he said.