Speaking to reporters in a joint press conference between the department and Pertubuhan Rakan Ghullam Kembali (Pergak), deputy commissioner-general of Prisons Abdul Aziz Razak said there are almost 11,000 former convicts who have been released from prison and are currently looking for jobs.

“From that number, only 120 former convicts have been employed through the I-Kembali programme,” he said, adding that all have been employed in the manufacturing and construction sectors.

Aziz hoped for all 11,000 of the former convicts to be employed by 2030.

“We hope this programme can reduce the dependency on foreign workers in the country.”

I-Kembali is a collaboration between the Prisons Department and Pergak which offers a placement programme for former convicts and addicts to help them get jobs in six sectors, namely manufacturing, services, construction, agriculture, marketing and management.

Pergak chairperson Siti Murni Sheikh Ahmad said the I-Kembali programme began in May and prison authorities have been working with NGOs to provide jobs for the former inmates upon their release.

She said it was not easy for former convicts to find jobs as some companies have concerns over hiring them.

Such a scenario, she said, could lead to the former convicts becoming desperate and going back to a life of crime. “Eventually, they may end up in prison again. That is what we want to prevent.”

She assured employers not to be worried as all former convicts employed under the placement programme would be supervised by Pergak.