Sibu: Sibu MP Oscar Ling Chai Yew will assist Sibu Central Prison in upgrading an old space and converting it into two classrooms to support inmate rehabilitation, religious guidance, and life and character-building programmes.
Ling said the initiative followed his recent special visit to Sibu Central Prison, where he sought to better understand its basic operations, physical facilities, long-standing overcrowding issue, and the actual situation concerning inmate rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
“Based on what I learned during this visit, the prison currently lacks suitable spaces for conducting such programmes. Therefore, I will assist Sibu Central Prison in upgrading an old space and converting it into two classrooms, which will serve as venues for religious organisations to conduct life and character-building programmes,” he said.
He said the initiative would not only improve the prison’s facilities but also support existing inmate rehabilitation efforts, enabling inmates to receive more positive education and guidance while serving their sentences.
“We must respect the law and ensure that those who have committed offences take responsibility for their actions. However, if a person is willing to change, society should also allow them to start again,” he said.
Ling said Sibu Central Prison was built in 1918 and is now 108 years old. Its ageing facilities and increasingly inadequate space have made the construction of a new prison in Sibu an urgent necessity.
He noted that under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13), the Government has planned to construct a new Sibu prison with an estimated investment of about RM300 million and an initial allocation of RM35 million.
Ling said infrastructure development and inmate rehabilitation must go hand in hand, with the future prison incorporating facilities for education, skills training, counselling, religious activities, and life and character-building programmes.
He also hoped the two classrooms could be completed as soon as possible and said he would continue to monitor the new prison project and the issues faced by Sibu Central Prison.
