PUTRAJAYA: Success stories of the Home Ministry and its agencies reflect the overall commitment and seriousness in upholding peace and order in Malaysia.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the ministry's momentum had been consistent in securing the key performance indicators (KPIs), with 90 per cent of its 38 initiatives achieved between January and June this year.
"We have certainly passed the 69 per cent target set for the first six months," he said at the Home Ministry's monthly gathering today.
Zahid, who is also the Home Minister, also shared a list of the ministry and its agencies' achievements, including recording a 0.44 per cent recividism rate out of 17,081 parolees between 2008 and 2017.
"Prison is not a place to punish people. Prison is a place for us to carry out correctional and rehabilitation programmes.
"We want those outside to not look down on the ex-inmates. Instead the people should be supportive so that the former convicts can be assimilated back into the society and become assets to the nation.
"This is not about me being 'syok sendiri (self-gratification). Instead, it depicts our commitment to rehabilitate prisoners, turning them into useful citizens," he added.
Zahid also listed other achievements, among others the Immigration Department's performance in achieving 143 per cent in online passport renewal; the National Anti-Drugs Agency recorded 133 per cent in enforcing the Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act); and the National Registration Department scoring 143 per cent in getting MyKid ready for collection.
Zahid attributed the success to good teamwork in the ministry and its agencies.
"There are four key elements that can chart one's success - the value of comradeship; being hands-on, to follow through things and focus on outcome instead of output."
In this respect, he said such achievements should be highlighted by the media, instead of going on a "witch hunt" by just focusing on things that had gone wrong.