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Prison, Lockup and Workplace Reforms On Budget 2025 Wishlist

Oct 16, 2024

Prison reform should be a key focus of Budget 2025. 

UM criminologist, Professor Dr Haezreena Begum says this includes improving the welfare of female inmates, including ensuring they have ready access to basic hygiene products like sanitary pads.  

She told us that currently, supplies of government-puchased pads are limited and are usually reserved for inmates who don't receive visitors. 

Those who do get visitations will have to get their own.

Besides that, Dr Haezreena also suggested funding to set up halfway houses for lone prisoners who have just been released.  

She also called for allocations to upgrade ageing police lockups.  

It’s to safeguard the basic human rights of lockup detainees, as they have yet to be convicted of any crimes, and therefore do not deserve to be locked up in conditions that are actually worse than in prisons. 

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Separately, the Malaysian Occupational Health Practitioners Association has suggested including incentives to protect the mental health of workers.  

According to its president, Dr Shawaludin Husin says this can help promote safe and conducive work environments and prevent problems like burnout...  

This, ahead of Budget 2025’s presentation on Friday.