PASIR MAS, Nov 16 — Inmates placed under the House Arrest Act will wear monitoring devices to track their locations after the Bill is passed in Parliament, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

He pointed out the current law does not have an Act that will enable an inmate to undergo house arrest.

"Therefore, the new Bill can help reduce the problem of prison congestion in prisons throughout the country,” he told reporters at a media conference after officiating the Santuni MADANI with the Commissioner-General of Prisons programme at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tanjong Bunga here today.

"Currently, there are over 87,000 inmates while prison capacity is only at 74,000 inmates. Therefore, my ministry is aiming for 28,000 inmates to undergo house arrest when the Act is realised,” he said, adding that only offenders with remand status in jails will be involved and not those with major crimes like rape or drugs.

He also said that the Cabinet had decided in principle to start the Act and the ministry would hold engagement sessions with various parties before tabling the Bill in Parliament. — Bernama