As Hari Raya Aidilfitri approaches, the Malaysian Prison Department has announced special arrangements to allow families to visit their loved ones who are currently inmates.
During Hari Raya Aidilfitri, families can visit their loved ones in different types of facilities like Moral Rehabilitation Centres, Special Rehabilitation Centres, Special Detention Centres, and Henry Gurney School. This shows a big effort to bring families closer together during the festive season.
Giving priority to Muslim inmates
According to a recent statement from the Malaysian Prison Department, these visits are exclusively prioritised for Muslim inmates. The department has outlined two primary methods for conducting these visits: face-to-face meetings and online/video calls, reported Malaysian Gazette.
How visits work: Face-to-Face or Online
The online visitation method is scheduled to take place from April 14 to 16. Families opting for face-to-face meetings are required to comply with specific conditions, including adherence to designated visitation hours from 8:15 am to 4:15 pm.
What you need to know before visiting
To ensure the safety of all parties involved, visitors must undergo RT-PCR or ARTK-Ag (swab/saliva) tests within three days prior to the visit.
Additionally, they must be asymptomatic before attending the prison premises. Visitors are also advised to bring their visitation and identification cards to facilitate the processing of their visit.
No food, no direct cash
During these visits, visitors are prohibited from bringing any food or drinks for the inmates, as these items are available for purchase at the prison canteen.
The department stressed that all essential facilities for the inmates are provided by the prison authorities.
Furthermore, visitors are discouraged from providing money to the inmates directly. However, if visitors wish to contribute funds for specific purposes, such as examination fees, they are required to obtain an official receipt (PPT. 28) as proof of acceptance.
Appointment scheduling for visits
It’s important to note that visitors are subject to the regulations outlined in the Prison Act, which may include physical inspections upon entry and exit from the prison premises. These measures are in place to maintain security and safety within the facility.
Each inmate is allowed only one visit from their family during the designated visiting period.
To arrange a visit, families must make appointments through three available methods: the i-Visit system on the official Malaysian Prison Department website, phone calls to the respective institution, or emails/letters to the prison facility.
The institution will then schedule the date and session of the visit after receiving the reservation from the visiting family. For further information and updates regarding visitation procedures, interested parties are encouraged to visit the Malaysian Prison Department’s official website at www.prison.gov.my.
