KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 — Putrajaya defended its prisoner punishment policy today, insisting that caning is an effective method to reduce the number of repeat offenders.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi singled out foreign worker “agents” in particular, saying the mandatory caning sentence is more effective than simply slapping fines on them.
"We do not plan to reduce the caning sentence, but if the Attorney-General changes the policy, then the Prison Department will follow accordingly,” the minister told the Dewan Rakyat.
"The caning sentence has lessen recidivism, especially among drug traffickers, and I want to say agents for [illegal] foreign workers need the mandatory caning sentence because fines are not as effective," he said in his reply to a question by Liew Chin Tong (DAP-Kluang).
Liew had also asked if the caning sentence would be reduced for immigration law offenders.
Zahid also revealed that in 2013 alone, Malaysia caned 8,481 prison inmates, with nearly 6,000 or 70 per cent among them foreigners.
The minister also said that between 2012 to 2013, three people were hung to death, including two Malaysians.
So far, 975 inmates have been sentenced to death but are in the middle of the appeal process at the courts and the state's Pardons Board.
Zahid, who is the former defence minister, also said that some with death sentences have had their sentences converted to life imprisonment.
There are three deciding factors for the Attorney-General to approve the conversion — the inmate’s appeal, report on his or her rehabilitation and the judge’s report, he said.
"The prison sentence is not just to punish but also for rehabilitation, which we hope will lessen the crime rates," Ahmad Zahid said.
