KOTA BARU, June 19 — The government will build a new and largest prison in Kelantan which is expected to be completed in 2027, said deputy secretary-general (Management) of the Home Ministry (KDN), Datuk Mohd Sayuthi Bakar.

He said the prison to be built in Ketereh, Kota Baru, could accommodate 3,000 prisoners and the land acquisition process to be completed this year.

"Construction of this modern prison is expected to begin by the end of next year and will take three to four years to be completed.

"The new prison will have better facilities for both inmates and officers as we find that many prisons in the country are run down and need improvement,” he said at the presentation of the 2021 East Zone Outstanding Service Awards (APC) to 200 recipients at the Kota Darulnaim Complex, here, today.

Mohd Sayuthi said the new prison would reduce congestion in existing prisons in the Eastern Zone.

"Currently, the Malaysian Prisons Department has taken a temporary initiative by having rehabilitation programmes to reduce overcrowding.

"We see it is paying off as our participation in the London Craft Week recently won awards there, as well as the attention drawn by some of our rehabilitation programmes from other countries’ prisons departments including the United Kingdom,” he added. — Bernama