NEW DELHI (INDIA): Malaysia is considering India’s request to implement the International Transfer of Prisoners programme between the two countries.
If it materialises, 41 Indian nationals currently serving jail terms in Malaysia for various offences will be eligible for transfer to prisons in India.
Announcing this today, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the programme would allow the Indian nationals to serve the remaining term of their prison sentence back in their home country.
Zahid, who is also Home Minister, however, he said the programme would first have to fulfill several conditions according to international standards. It would also need the approval of the Attorney-General's Chambers in Malaysia.
“The respective prisoner will also have to fulfil several terms before they can be brought back to India to be closer to their respective families.
“The programme has been practised between Malaysia and countries such as Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Bulgaria and Iran," he told the Malaysian media here after a closed-door meeting with India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
Among the terms for prisoner transfer include - the offence falls under the same law practised in both countries; the remaining pison sentence should be less than six months, and it does not apply to death penalty, rape and sodomy offence prisoners.