Pahang

% Foreign
32%
% Remand
10%
% of Capacity
61%

Pulau Pinang

% Foreign
6%
% Remand
30%
% of Capacity
69%

Johor

% Foreign
13%
% Remand
17%
% of Capacity
74%

Negeri Sembilan

% Foreign
1%
% Remand
0%
% of Capacity
87%

Sabah

% Foreign
55%
% Remand
21%
% of Capacity
175%

Perak

% Foreign
10%
% Remand
24%
% of Capacity
64%

Kedah

% Foreign
25%
% Remand
33%
% of Capacity
68%

Melaka

% Foreign
8%
% Remand
28%
% of Capacity
53%

Kelantan

% Foreign
4%
% Remand
41%
% of Capacity
165%

Kuala Lumpur

% Foreign
0%
% Remand
0%
% of Capacity
0%

Terengganu

% Foreign
5%
% Remand
50%
% of Capacity
68%

Selangor

% Foreign
13%
% Remand
41%
% of Capacity
90%

Perlis

% Foreign
55%
% Remand
1%
% of Capacity
12%

Kluang, Johor

% Foreign
25%
% Remand
0%
% Capacity
35%

Simpang Renggam, Johor

% Foreign
26%
% Remand
81%
% Capacity
43%

Johor Bahru, Johor

% Foreign
11%
% Remand
4%
% Capacity
99%

Alor Setar, Kedah

% Foreign
14%
% Remand
91%
% Capacity
63%

Pokok Sena, Kedah

% Foreign
29%
% Remand
3%
% Capacity
73%

Sungai Petani, Kedah

% Foreign
29%
% Remand
57%
% Capacity
58%

Jalan Maktab, Kelantan

% Foreign
4%
% Remand
41%
% Capacity
165%

Sungai Udang, Melaka

% Foreign
0%
% Remand
0%
% Capacity
57%

Dusun Dato Murad, Melaka

% Foreign
8%
% Remand
30%
% Capacity
52%

Seremban, Negeri Sembilan

% Foreign
1%
% Remand
0%
% Capacity
96%

Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan

% Foreign
0%
% Remand
0%
% Capacity
79%

Kuantan, Pahang

% Foreign
2%
% Remand
16%
% Capacity
106%

Bentong, Pahang

% Foreign
77%
% Remand
1%
% Capacity
37%

George Town, Penang

% Foreign
11%
% Remand
85%
% Capacity
48%

Seberang Perai, Penang

% Foreign
3%
% Remand
4%
% Capacity
87%

Taiping, Perak

% Foreign
9%
% Remand
79%
% Capacity
43%

Taiping, Perak

% Foreign
16%
% Remand
0%
% Capacity
84%

Tapah, Perak

% Foreign
9%
% Remand
2%
% Capacity
79%

Perlis, Perlis

% Foreign
85%
% Remand
1%
% Capacity
12%

Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

% Foreign
40%
% Remand
15%
% Capacity
147%

Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

% Foreign
65%
% Remand
21%
% Capacity
120%

Tawau, Sabah

% Foreign
64%
% Remand
25%
% Capacity
275%

Sandakan, Sabah

% Foreign
66%
% Remand
29%
% Capacity
141%

Kuching, Sarawak

% Foreign
19%
% Remand
7%
% Capacity
70%

Sibu , Sarawak

% Foreign
36%
% Remand
20%
% Capacity
62%

Miri, Sarawak

% Foreign
39%
% Remand
15%
% Capacity
86%

Limbang, Sarawak

% Foreign
10%
% Remand
2%
% Capacity
35%

Sungai Buloh, Selangor

% Foreign
37%
% Remand
84%
% Capacity
101%

Kajang, Selangor

% Foreign
17%
% Remand
5%
% Capacity
102%

Kajang, Selangor

% Foreign
54%
% Remand
41%
% Capacity
40%

Marang , Terengganu

% Foreign
5%
% Remand
52%
% Capacity
86%

Dungun, Terengganu

% Foreign
0%
% Remand
0%
% Capacity
11%

Source Documents

Desk Research Prisons.pdf

Prisons Infrastructure (2011)

The location of prisons in Malaysia and the population in each is set out in the map above. Visits by the audit team to prisons included rural sites (Sg Petani prison, Kedah), urban areas (Penang prison and Kota Kinabalu prison, Sabah), and the newest prison (Sungai Udang), as well as a Henry Gurney School (Melaka).

The audit did not interrogate conditions in prisons. The impression was of modern, clean, facilities operated by staff who were military in bearing (and uniformed). Discipline appeared to be firm and security concerns of paramount importance (escapes, riots and assaults on staff were not reported in recent memory). Prisoners appear to have access to health care and adequate nutrition.  By contrast, conditions in Detention Centres administered by the Immigration department are reported to be under considerable pressure.   Visits to Detention Centres were not included in the audit.

Oversight

Prisons are visited by judges on an ad hoc basis as well as by the Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM). SUHAKAM has no dedicated Commissioner responsible for prisons or places of detention, nor a schedule for visiting prisons or places of detention in the course of a 12 month period: it mainly reacts to complaints received and organizes a follow-up visit.  The International Committee of the Red Cross has access to all prisons in Malaysia.

Capacity

A glance at slide 19 shows overall a prison system that functions within its overall capacity, though in Kelantan and Sabah, there is pressure on available space. The most overcrowded is Tawau prison in Sabah with capacity for 500 and occupancy at 1,377 as of December 2011.

Total Prisoners

StateTotal
Selangor7184
Sabah3680
Pahang2798
Johor2590
Perak2553
Kedah2451
Pulau Pinang1922
Melaka1684
Kelantan1650
Negeri Sembilan1399
Terengganu1157
Sarawak1098
Perlis93
Kuala Lumpur0

Legend

3000 to 8000
2000 to 3000
1000 to 2000
0 to 1000