He said the prisoners had been taught various skills before being released to enable them to get jobs and to be accepted by their families.

The rehabilitation programmes were carried out to help long-term prisoners integrate with the community upon their release.

The prisons department had a “smart partnership programme” with the private sector to offer job opportunities to freed prisoners in manufacturing and other sectors, he said.

The programmes were to ensure that freed prisoners could lead a life without being discriminated against by the community in which they lived in.

Ismail was replying to Sivakumar Naidu (PH-Batu Gajah), who asked for the number of prisoners released since 2011 and efforts taken to help them lead a normal life without being discriminated against after being freed.

Amiruddin Hamzah (Pejuang-Kubang Pasu) also suggested the government help those under parole to get jobs.