:Tawau record highest inmates parole in Sabah

TAWAU: The release of five more inmates from the district’s prison on parole today since the approval of such procedure in December 2007 making the district having the highest number of inmates being paroled in the state with nine.

District’s prison director Mat Johir Hashim said that the previous release was on four inmates in July 28. Johir said this at his office together with Noraini Abd. Karim, the district parole officer after witnessing the handling over of the five men to the parole office prior to release to their respective districts in Tawau, Lahad Datu and Semporna.

`The parole system helps reduce the number of inmates in prison and providing an opportunity for those paroled to go back to their community but under supervision’, he stated.

Johir also said those liable to be paroled were those facing prison term of over a year except for those facing death sentence, life imprisonment, jail order by the country’s Agong, King or Head of State and those jailed for sexual offences. He add that success of the parole system require among others the need of the community and family members to accept inmates being paroled.

Noraini in answering a question stated that there had not been a problem faced so far with all those paroled.