The Malaysian Prison Department ( ms, Jabatan Penjara Malaysia), is a department controlled by the
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
n
Minister of Home Affairs
An interior minister (sometimes called a minister of internal affairs or minister of home affairs) is a cabinet official position that is responsible for internal affairs, such as public security, civil registration and identification, emergency ...
responsible for
prisons
A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correcti ...
where offenders sentenced by the courts are held. These jails also act as detention and recovery institutions.
The department is headquartered in the Malaysia Prison Complex (''Kompleks Penjara Kajang'') in
Kajang
Kajang is a town in Hulu Langat District, Selangor, Malaysia. Kajang, along with much of Hulu Langat District, is governed by the Kajang Municipal Council. Kajang town is located on the eastern banks of the Langat River. It is surrounded by ...
,
Selangor
Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...
in the
Klang Valley
Klang Valley ( ms, Lembah Klang; zh, 巴生谷; ) is an urban conglomeration in Malaysia that is centered in the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, and includes its adjoining cities and towns in the state of Selangor. It is con ...
.
History
During the era of
British rule
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...
and until the arrival of the Japanese in 1942, penal institutions were the responsibility of the individual states' governments with their respective regulations. In the
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. Headquartered in Singapore for more than a century, it was originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Comp ...
, a
Superintendent
Superintendent may refer to:
*Superintendent (police), Superintendent of Police (SP), or Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), a police rank
*Prison warden or Superintendent, a prison administrator
*Superintendent (ecclesiastical), a church exec ...
based in
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
, acted as the supervisor and inspected the institutions under his jurisdiction.
The Straits Settlements were the earliest to build their own prisons while the
Federated Malay States
)Under God's Protection
, capital = Kuala Lumpur1
, religion = Islam
, legislature = Federal Legislative Council
, type_house1 = State level
, common_languages =
, title_leader = Monarch
, leader1 ...
did so only after the British set up a responsible department. The Taiping Prison, better known as the Taiping Gaol, the largest at the time, was built in 1879. Prisons were built with the main purpose of bringing suffering to the inmates in the hope that this would deter people from committing crimes.
In 1881,
Sikh
Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...
warders were brought in to assist Malay warders while vocational instructors from
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
were used in an effort to introduce trades to the prisons. Among the earliest of these were rock breaking and carpentry. An attempt was made to categorise the inmates in 1882, then in 1889 European warders were appointed at some prisons.
With the formation of the
Federated Malay States
)Under God's Protection
, capital = Kuala Lumpur1
, religion = Islam
, legislature = Federal Legislative Council
, type_house1 = State level
, common_languages =
, title_leader = Monarch
, leader1 ...
, Taiping Prison became a detention centre for long-term prisoners from
Perak
Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand's ...
,
Pahang
Pahang (;Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a ...
,
Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan (, Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Nogoghi Sombilan'', ''Nismilan'') is a state in Malaysia which lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the s ...
and
Selangor
Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...
. In 1923, a visiting justice system was introduced and prison industries expanded to include printing work, weaving, sewing,
rattan
Rattan, also spelled ratan, is the name for roughly 600 species of Old World climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae. The greatest diversity of rattan palm species and genera are in the closed-canopy old-growth tropical forests of ...
weaving, and metalwork. Rock-breaking work was abolished in 1924 and replaced with the pounding of coconut husks.
During the Japanese occupation (1941–1945), the
Imperial Japanese Army
The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...
also used the prisons for
POWs
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold prisoners of war ...
. All records of the prisons and its inmates for this period were subsequently destroyed by the Japanese.
After
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the Prison Office was established to administer all prisons in Malaya. The post-war era saw the return of peace, and modern administrative methods were introduced. The 1948
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency, also known as the Anti–British National Liberation War was a guerrilla war fought in British Malaya between communist pro-independence fighters of the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA) and the military forces o ...
resulted in an increase in inmate numbers, which in turn caused overcrowding in the prisons. This disrupted the development of the prison system and it was only towards the end of 1949 when peace returned that prison development could be carried out smoothly.
The Prisons Ordinance 1952 and the Prisons Regulations 1953, based on the "modern treatment" concept, were introduced to replace old legislation. In 1953, the Criminal Justice Bill was passed, which abolished use of the cat-o'-nine-tails and replaced the term "penal servitude" with "prison".
Following Independence Day in 1957, the first Prisons Commissioner was appointed to take charge of the administration of all prisons in Malaya. In 1963, with the formation of
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
, prisons in
Sabah
Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indone ...
and
Sarawak
Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the M ...
came under the jurisdiction of the Prisons Department.
On 2 November 1995, the Prison Act 1995 was introduced to replace the former Prison Act which in turn was superseded on 1 September 2000 by the Prison Regulations 2000. The previous acts and regulations had been in use for a long time, thus changes and reforms were necessary to meet current needs and demands to streamline prison management and administration.
In an era of development and modernisation, the Malaysian Prison Department realises that it should not to be content with its past achievements, but should instead move forward and innovate in order to assist the prison administration in dealing with modern culture through criminology,
penology
Penology (from "penal", Latin ''poena'', "punishment" and the Greek suffix '' -logia'', "study of") is a sub-component of criminology that deals with the philosophy and practice of various societies in their attempts to repress criminal activities ...
and overall social control.
Insignia
# The fourteen-point star represents the 13 States and the Federal Government of Malaysia, while the star and the crescent symbolise
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
, the official religion of Malaysia.
# The crossed keys symbolise the authority and responsibility delegated by the department in the performance of its duties.
# The paddy flower symbolises solidarity and close co-operation by multiracial staff at various levels in the hierarchy.
# The green background, the official colour of the Prisons Department, signifies allegiance to the Malaysian leader.
Motto
Source:
;Cheerful, Sincere and Dedicated
:Shall faithfully carry out departmental duties to uphold the national criminal legal system and shoulder the task of rehabilitation of offenders entrusted upon the department by the nation with full responsibility and dedication.
;Green colour
:Symbolises the objective of the department to reform citizens who have lapsed into moral decay and turn them into productive individuals who are once again able to fit into society as useful citizens able to fulfill their social obligations.
;Sketch Heart and Hand
:Symbolises the commitment by society to re-accommodate ex-convicts into social institutions without any kind of prejudice which may jeopardise their rehabilitation programme.
;Silver background
Symbolises the sincerity of the departments management system in generating commitment and co-operation among society at large, offender families and the department to ensure the success of rehabilitation programmes.
Prison department organisational structure
Prison heads
List of Commissioners General
List of Deputy Commissioners General
Institutions
Headquarters
* Malaysian Prison Headquarters, Kajang
* Sarawak Prison Headquarters, Kuching
* Sabah Prison Headquarters, Kota Kinabalu
Prison
''Kedah''
* Pokok Sena Prison
* Sungai Petani Prison
* Alor Star Prison
''Penang''
* Penang Prison
* Seberang Prai Prison
''Perak''
*
Taiping Prison
The Taiping Prison ( ms, Penjara Taiping; formerly known as Larut Prison and Taiping Training Centre) was established in 1879 and is the first and oldest modern prison complex in Malaysia.Sungai Buloh Prison
The Sungai Buloh Prison ( ms, Penjara Sungai Buloh) is a prison complex in Gombak District, Selangor, Malaysia. It is the largest prison complex in Malaysia. Started in 1992, completed in October 1996 and opened in November 1996 to replace the ...
*
Kajang Prison
Kajang Prison ( ms, Penjara Kajang; formerly known as Selangor Central Prison) is a prison located in Sungai Jelok, Selangor, Malaysia.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia in early 2022, 18 inmates were suspected of having adverse effects ...
* Kajang Women's Prison
''Negeri Sembilan''
* Jelebu Prison
* Seremban Prison
''Melaka''
* Ayer Keroh Prison
* Sg. Udang Prison
* Banda Hilir Prison
''Johor''
* Simpang Renggam Prison
* Kluang Prison
''Pahang''
* Bentong Prison
* Penor Prison
''Terengganu''
* Marang Prison
''Kelantan''
* Pengkalan Chepa Prison
''Sarawak''
* Puncak Borneo Prison
* Sibu Prison
* Miri Prison
* Bintulu Prison
* Sri Aman Prison
* Limbang Prison
''Sabah''
* Kota Kinabalu Prison
* Kota Kinabalu Women's Prison
* Tawau Prison
* Sandakan Prison
Correctional Centre
* Perlis Correctional Centre
Juvenile School
*Henry Gurney School, Telok Mas, Malacca (boys & girls)
*Henry Gurney School, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (all-girls)
*Henry Gurney School, Keningau, Sabah (all-boys)
*Henry Gurney School, Puncak Borneo, Sarawak (all-boys)
*Henry Gurney School, Batu Gajah, Perak
Defunct Prison and Headquarters
* Malaysian Prison Headquarters,
Taiping, Perak
Taiping (, Jawi: ; zh, t=太平, , Hokkien: Thài-pêng; ta, தைப்பிங்) is a town located in Larut, Matang and Selama District, Perak, Malaysia. It is located approximately northwest of Ipoh, the capital of Perak, and ...
*
Pudu Prison
The Pudu Prison ( ms, Penjara Pudu, ), also known as Pudu Jail, was a prison in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Built in phases by the British colonial government between 1891 and 1895, it stood on Jalan Shaw (now Jalan Hang Tuah). The construction began ...
,
Kuala Lumpur
, anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera''
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia
, pushpin_map_caption =
, coordinates =
, su ...
''(1895–1996)''
*
Johor Bahru Prison
The Johor Bahru Prison ( ms, Penjara Johor Bahru), in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia, was opened in 1883 to incarcerate criminals in the State, as well as those who revolted against the British colonial government. The prison, located on 4.5 acr ...
,
Johor
Johor (; ), also spelled as Johore, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia in the south of the Malay Peninsula. Johor has land borders with the Malaysian states of Pahang to the north and Malacca and Negeri Sembilan ...
''(1882–2005)''
* Kuala Lipis Prison,
Kuala Lipis
Kuala Lipis ( ms, كوالا ليڤيس, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is a mukim and capital of Lipis District, Pahang, Malaysia with a population of 20,000.
History
Kuala Lipis was a gold-mining centre before the British arrived in 1 ...
,
Pahang
Pahang (;Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a ...
* Kuantan Prison,
Kuantan
Kuantan ( Jawi: ) is a city and the state capital of Pahang, Malaysia. It is located near the mouth of the Kuantan River. Kuantan is the 18th largest city in Malaysia based on 2010 population, and the largest city in the East Coast of Penin ...
,
Pahang
Pahang (;Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a ...
* Pulau Jerejak Prison,
Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
* Sim Sim Prison,
Sandakan
Sandakan (, Jawi: , ) formerly known at various times as Elopura, is the capital of the Sandakan District in Sabah, Malaysia. It is the second largest city in Sabah after Kota Kinabalu. It is located on the Sandakan Peninsula and east coast of ...
,
Sabah
Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indone ...
''(1850–1981)''
Weaponry and equipment
Malaysian Prison Department operators are equipped with multi-specialized weaponry and marine assault vehicles, including:
Major cases and incidents
1981 Botak Chin
1986 Pudu Prison siege
Famous inmates
*
Botak Chin
Wong Swee Chin, known professionally as Edmund Tan / Louis Ling / Botak Chin (3 March 1951–11 June 1981) was a Malaysian criminal and gangster. He rose to fame as one of the most notorious and dangerous gangsters during the 1960s and 1970s ...
*
Kevin Barlow and Brian Chambers
*
Mona Fandey
Nur Maznah binti Ismail (1 January 1956 – 2 November 2001), better known as Mona Fandey, was a Malaysian pop singer and murderer. She was executed on 2 November 2001 at the age of 45, after being convicted of the murder of Batu Talam stat ...
*
Datuk Seri Najib Razak
Malaysian Prison Department in popular culture
Television
* ''Patahnya Sebelah Sayap'' ''(Break Half Wing)'' – Malay drama created by Ayie Mustafa
* ''Disebalik Tirai Besi'' ''(Behind The Bar)'' – Malay drama produced by MDAG Marketing Sdn Bhd
References
External links
Websites of Malaysian Prison DepartmentWebsites of Malaysian Prison Department
{{Terrorism in Malaysia
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
Law enforcement in Malaysia
1790 establishments in British Malaya
Government agencies established in 1790
Ministry of Home Affairs (Malaysia)