KUALA LUMPUR – The government must stop jailing Covid-19 standard operating procedure violators given the overcrowding in the country’s prisons, a webinar heard today.

Lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo said the issue of prison overcrowding has reached a critical stage, and the ongoing health crisis makes it even more important not to add to the inmate population.

“Several prisons in Malaysia are over 200% capacity, while 19% of the third virus wave in the country involves prisons.  

“The most obvious thing is that we need to stop sending SOP violators to prison. 

“While we understand that a message has to be sent for people to comply with the SOPs, sending more people to prison is not the answer, as it just adds to the risk of a potential cluster.

“Alternative sentencing really must be considered.”

Sangeet, who is a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia for the Reform of all Places of Detention, was addressing the G25 Malaysia-organised webinar titled “Covid-19: seeking solutions for prisons and refugees”.

She added that the current system of fines for SOP flouters is not realistic, as many people have taken a financial hit amid the pandemic.

Among the alternatives mooted are a longer repayment period for fines, and imposing community service and a bond for good behaviour.

Sangeet said Malaysia lags behind other countries when it comes to taking preventive measures concerning prisons.

Indonesia, for example, has committed to allow the early release of 50,000 inmates, with 39,000 having been freed as of last June, she said.

“The prisons director-general has acknowledged the overcrowding problem and has identified over 11,000 inmates eligible for the early release programme. 

“But until the end of last year, only 500 prisoners were released. This is not enough.”

DAP senator and former deputy defence minister Liew Chin Tong urged for a reform of the country’s strict drug laws.

“We need to re-examine Malaysia’s whole idea of ‘war on drugs’ and criminalising drug users instead of seeing them as people who need medical support. 

“Dealing with drug addicts from a medical and rehabilitative perspective would be more effective than treating the issue as a crime. 

“Prison officers have told me that those imprisoned because of minor drug offences may become worse, as inmates are exposed to a wider criminal network.

“Today, we have to start asking ourselves if this war on drugs is still relevant. Does it help reduce drug usage, and is it cost-effective?”

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