Saifuddin Nasution: Proposed House Arrest Act focuses on remand detainees and prison overcrowding

The proposed House Arrest Act aims to address prison overcrowding by allowing eligible remand detainees to be placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring.

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution stated that serious criminal cases would be excluded from this mechanism, which he had proposed since 2024 to improve the correctional system's management.

The Cabinet has approved in principle the drafting and tabling of the House Arrest Act in Parliament to alleviate prison overcrowding and enhance the correctional system's effectiveness.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 — The proposed House Arrest Act is aimed at addressing prison overcrowding, particularly involving remand detainees, who make up a significant proportion of the prison population while awaiting trial.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail stressed that the proposal was not new, saying he had mooted it as one of the Home Ministry’s (KDN) measures since 2024 to reduce prison overcrowding and ensure the country’s correctional system is managed more effectively.

“The concept we have been discussing from the outset is clear, namely that for remand detainees who meet the requirements, the court may consider placing them under house arrest with electronic monitoring until their trial.

“Serious criminal cases have already been identified for exclusion from this mechanism.

“We do not yet have an act or law on house arrest. Previously, I mooted introducing one specifically for remand detainees, as remand detainees are one of the causes of prison overcrowding,” he said in a video uploaded on his Facebook page today.

Saifuddin Nasution said prison inmates comprised those who had been convicted and were serving their sentences, as well as remand detainees whose court proceedings had yet to be completed.

He said remand detainees referred to individuals who had been charged but were either denied bail or unable to post bail, resulting in them being held in prison pending trial.

“So, this combination of convicted inmates and remand detainees contributes to prison overcrowding. For example, we currently have 41 prisons, but the prison population is 93,000. Our prison capacity is 75,000,” he said.

He said if the proposed law was passed, the court could consider placing eligible remand detainees under house arrest, with their movements monitored using electronic devices until their trial date.

Saifuddin Nasution said the Cabinet had also given in-principle approval for KDN to begin the process of drafting and tabling the House Arrest Act in Parliament.

“The original objective remains the same, namely to reduce prison overcrowding and ensure that the country’s correctional system can be managed more effectively. That is the original context and purpose of the House Arrest Act that we have been discussing from the outset.

“If the Bill is passed, we can release these remand detainees to their homes and equip them with modern devices to monitor their movements until their trial date. That is the original purpose we have been discussing,” he said. — Bernama

Frozen assets may hinder RM50m payment for Najib’s house arrest, his lawyers say

Perak Fire Dept: Tambun house blaze leaves three family members dead, one injured

Haze: Sarawak areas dominate unhealthy API readings, IPD Serian highest at 182

拟议的《居家监禁法》旨在通过允许符合条件的还押候审人员接受电子监控的居家监禁来解决监狱过度拥挤的问题。

内政部长赛夫丁·纳苏蒂安表示，严重的刑事案件将被排除在该机制之外。他自 2024 年以来就提议采用该机制来改善惩教系统的管理。

内阁原则上批准起草《居家监禁法》并提交议会审议，以缓解监狱过度拥挤问题，提高惩教系统的效率。

吉隆坡，9月20日讯——拟议的《居家监禁法》旨在解决监狱过度拥挤的问题，特别是涉及还押候审人员的问题，这些还押候审人员在等待审判期间占监狱人口的很大一部分。

内政部长拿督斯里赛夫丁·纳苏蒂安·伊斯梅尔强调，该提议并非新提议，他表示，自2024年以来，他一直将其作为内政部（KDN）的措施之一，以减少监狱过度拥挤，并确保该国的惩教系统得到更有效的管理。

“我们从一开始就在讨论的概念很明确，那就是对于符合条件的还押候审人员，法院可以考虑在审判前对其进行电子监控并软禁在家。

“一些严重的刑事案件已被确定为不适用此机制。”

“我们目前还没有关于居家监禁的法案或法律。此前，我曾提议专门针对还押候审人员制定一项法案，因为还押候审人员是造成监狱过度拥挤的原因之一，”他在今天上传到其Facebook页面的一段视频中说道。

赛夫丁·纳苏蒂安表示，监狱囚犯包括已被定罪并正在服刑的人，以及法庭程序尚未完成的还押候审人员。

他说，还押候审人员指的是那些已被起诉但被拒绝保释或无力缴纳保释金的人，因此他们在审判前被关押在监狱中。

“因此，已定罪囚犯和还押候审人员的混合构成了监狱过度拥挤的原因之一。例如，我们目前有41所监狱，但监狱人口却高达93000人。而我们的监狱容量只有75000人，”他说道。

他说，如果这项拟议的法律获得通过，法院可以考虑将符合条件的还押候审人员软禁在家，并在审判日期之前使用电子设备监控他们的行踪。

赛夫丁·纳苏蒂安表示，内阁原则上也已批准KDN开始起草并向议会提交《软禁法案》的程序。

“最初的目标仍然不变，即减少监狱过度拥挤，确保国家惩教系统能够得到更有效的管理。这就是我们从一开始就在讨论的《居家监禁法》的最初背景和目的。”

“如果法案获得通过，我们可以将这些还押候审人员释放回家，并为他们配备现代化设备，以便在审判日之前监控他们的行踪。这才是我们一直在讨论的初衷。”他说道。——马新社

纳吉的律师称，冻结的资产可能会阻碍其获得5000万令吉的软禁补偿金。

霹雳州消防局：淡汶一处民宅发生火灾，造成一家三口死亡，一人受伤

雾霾：砂拉越地区空气质量指数（API）超标情况最为严重，西里安地区最高，达182。