Saifuddin reiterated that the focus of the drafting of the bill will be on easing the congestion in prisons, which is caused by the high number of detainees under remand.

He said several processes must be implemented before the bill is brought to the Dewan Rakyat within this year, including engagements with stakeholders and a parliamentary committee.

“At the moment, the ministry is in the process of going through the draft of the bill through a series of workshops and engagement sessions with stakeholders.

“Some sessions have already been held and more will be held in the future to ensure all inputs and views are considered in drafting the home detention bill,” he said in a written parliamentary reply.

He was responding to Teresa Kok (PH-Seputeh) who asked about the status of the bill, and whether the ministry will consult civil society, the public, and a parliamentary select committee before tabling the proposed law in Parliament.

Unity government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil previously denied that the home detention bill was linked to former prime minister Najib Razak, who is seeking to compel the government to execute a royal addendum allowing him to serve the remainder of his jail term under house arrest.