POKOK SENA: The Prisons Department will explore a new field under the Community Rehabilitation Programme (CRP) to enable inmates (prospects) to be placed in jobs in the rare earth elements (REE) mining sector.
Its deputy commissioner general (Community), Ahmad Faudzi Awang said he was informed that the Kedah government is planning to mine REE, which is a new field that can be ventured into.
“We are also exploring a new field, and as we know, there will be REE mining in Kedah. We are working to see if the placement of prospects can help them get involved in the mining that will take place in Kedah later,” he said when met after witnessing the handover of duties ceremony of the Kedah Prisons director at the Pokok Sena Prison here today.
“This is a new field and we are observing its development, and if there is progress in terms of mining, Insya-Allah, the Prisons Department will venture into that field.”
At the event, Deputy Prisons Commissioner Rahmat Abdul Rani was appointed the new Kedah Prisons director, replacing Prisons commissioner Zainah Pardi who was promoted to serve at the headquarters of the Prisons Department in the Parole and Community Division.
Ahmad Faudzi said so far through the PDK programme, 11 companies have registered to collaborate with the Kedah Prisons Department and a total of 527 inmates released through the PBSL programme are working in these companies.
“This is quite an interesting matter because if we look at the applications that have occurred today, we can see an increase in companies from Kedah getting involved and also collaborating with us,“ he also said.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Faudzi added that the Malaysian Prisons Department aims for 30,000 prospects to work in the community by 2030, of which currently 5,000 prospects nationwide are in the community.
