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[UPDATED] Saifuddin to unveil new house arrest guidelines, address outdated views

KAJANG: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution will announce the parameters and conditions for house arrests on Thursday, aiming to address what he described as "rigid and outdated" perspectives surrounding the issue.

Speaking to reporters, Saifuddin clarified that the house arrest initiative was not intended to target any specific individual, as some might have assumed.

Instead, he said it was a strategic move to alleviate overcrowding in Malaysia's prisons, which currently house 82,000 inmates, despite the official capacity being just 74,000.

He said that some 20,000 convicts might be eligible for house arrest, with a focus on those convicted of minor offences, rather than serious crimes.

"I have been following all the reactions closely after the topic was included in the prime minister's budget text, which has sparked various opinions.

"I have examined them one by one, and I have chosen to clarify in detail during the Home Ministry's policy-level winding-up session scheduled for Thursday.

"I will explain the rationale behind the programme we intend to establish, the process, the parameters, and the estimated number of individuals we should be able to accommodate.

"I believe that providing this clarification will help clear up some perspectives that, at times, seem focused solely on one individual. That is what I feel requires clarification," he said to reporters after a Townhall session at the Prisons Department Headquarters here today.

On Oct 18 when tabling the 2025 Budget, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government will draft a new act to allow house arrest as an alternative punishment for certain offences.

He said that under the proposed law, offenders would be required to remain in designated locations such as their homes, care centres, or workers' dormitories for the duration of their sentence.

Following this, many have speculated that the house arrest order may have been for jailed former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Unity Government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil has since denied this matter.

When asked how many people would be involved in the house arrest order, Saifuddin said so far, it would involve approximately 20,000 convicts, although not all at once.

He said for them to be eligible, certain criteria must be met including no violation of disciplinary rules throughout their sentence.

"There are many other considerations, and for this purpose, the Prisons Department and the Home Ministry are fully prepared with all the necessary data.

"The rationale and basis for this programme have led the Home Ministry to receive preliminary approval from the Cabinet. Following this policy decision, the Home Ministry will conduct numerous engagement sessions with various stakeholders.

"Only after that will we draft a bill named the House Detention Act, which outlines the process for home detention," he said.

When asked whether "white-collar" offences would be included, he kept mum and said details would be provided on Thursday.

Meanwhile, during the townhall session, Saifuddin expressed his disappointment that many thought that the house arrest order was to cater to only one individual.

He described it as an outdated and rigid perspective (pemikiran jumud dan beku).

"Of course when we want to do something, there's a rationale. I asked Datuk Nordin (Prisons Department director-general) when we wanted to initiate this if we could have clear parameters on the house arrest which includes (the convicts) not being involved in serious crimes including those that cause injuries, used weapons and others," he added.

"We read in the papers about a single mother with five starving children stealing milk at a supermarket in Kuantan. She was jailed. What would happen to the kids if she was jailed?

"We are not compromising on crimes but what we will do is that we will equip her with a device so that she could stay at home with her kids," he said. 

Saifuddin also cited other examples of those who could obtain the house arrest order which included pregnant convicts and the elderly who committed crimes but had serious health issues. 

"This is not for hardcore criminals but for petty crimes.

"Let there be some compassion (ihsan).. we hope that they will change and we are confident with the prisons' rehab module," he said.

Saifuddin added that the community-based rehabilitation programme has managed to save the Prisons Department about RM19 million. 

Currently, Saifuddin said, about 4,800 inmates are enrolled in the programme.

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