Kuala lumpur: The Offenders Compulsory Attendance (Amendment) Bill 2025 passed in the Dewan Rakyat today, aiming to reduce prison overcrowding, as announced by Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Shamsul Anuar highlighted that Malaysian prison facilities are currently holding 83,827 prisoners, with an additional 5,759 individuals undergoing community rehabilitation as of July 22. The actual capacity of these facilities is 76,311 prisoners. The Deputy Minister expressed concerns that overcrowding could lead to an unconducive environment, increasing the risk of disease spread among inmates and staff, diminishing the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs, and posing security risks such as potential riots and strikes. Furthermore, it could escalate the financial burden on the government.

The new amendment will allow Offenders Compulsory Attendance (PKW) to be applied to offenders convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment of up to 10 years, a significant increase from the current threshold of three years. This change is intended to provide a more sustainable solution to the issue of overcrowding.

Shamsul Anuar also reported that from 2010 to the present, 8,227 offenders have participated in the PKW program, achieving a success rate of 94.5%, with only 5.25% of orders being cancelled. The PKW includes various modules such as intervention programs, spirituality, counselling, religion, and related courses.