PETALING JAYA, Dec 10 — The country’s parole system has placed 1,681 former inmates into service, agricultural and manufacturing jobs across 52 districts currently, said Ibrisam Abdul Rahman.

The Prison Department’s director of parole and community services said the group also continued to be monitored by 761 parole officers across the country.

“The Klang district in Selangor was the most populous with 251 (parolees, followed by Manjung, Perak (92) and 73 in Kuantan, Pahang while the rest were in 49 other districts

“All parolees are paid according to labour laws and based on their skills, and all of them are free to stay with their employer or hostel provided,” he was quoted as saying in a Harian Metro report today.

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Ibrisam said the parole system has a 98.25 per cent success rate in curbing recidivism, which he credited to the good work of the parole officers in reintegrating their assigned parolees with the local community.

According to Ibrisam, parole officers not only monitored for compliance but also guided the former convicts towards becoming contributing members of society and overcoming their criminal past.

“In fact, it is our responsibility to provide or provide opportunities for parolees to find jobs that fit them.

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“There are even those who were accepted by the employers after undergoing the Corporate Smart Internship programme in their respective sectors during parole period,” he said.

Ibrisam again effusively praised the parole officers for these results, saying none would have been possible without the “heroes’” dedication.

He also complemented the parolees on their commitment to the system, which he described as “very satisfactory”.

Malaysia introduced the parole system in 2008 to address recidivism in former convicts and to alleviate overcrowding in prisons.

The latter problem is again in the spotlight after Deputy Home Minister Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman said he has directed the Prison Department to explore privately-operated options to reduce overcrowding and the government’s cost to house the prisoners.