Sharp, essential news and analysis from Malaysia.
United Kingdom Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced plans for the country's largest prison construction initiative since the 1800s, targeting 14,000 additional spaces within five years to resolve capacity shortages.
Malaysia's human rights commission has documented serious failings in the prison system, including assault on a female inmate, degrading searches, and weak investigations into complaints.
Malaysia's Health Ministry has established a special committee to examine allegations of professional misconduct by medical officers connected to the Taiping Prison disturbance that erupted last January.
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The government is considering a proposal to grant Members of Parliament access to CCTV footage of the Taiping Prison incident from January 2025. Deputy Minister M. Kulasegaran said legal implications and sub judice matters require further refinement before approval.
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The Prisons Department has reaffirmed its commitment to root out misconduct after five warders were charged with assault at the Taiping magistrate's court in Perak, signalling a hardline stance on internal discipline.