KOTA BARU: The country’s largest prison which can accommodate 3,000 prisoners will be built in Kelantan.

       It is expected to be completed by 2027, says Home Ministry deputy secretary-general (management) Datuk Mohd Sayuthi Bakar (pic).

       He said the prison would be located in Ketereh and that the land acquisition process would be completed this year.

       “Construction of this modern prison is expected to begin by the end of next year and will take three to four years to complete.

       “The new prison will have better facilities for both inmates and officers as we find that many prisons in the country are rundown and need improvements,” he said at the presentation of the 2021 east zone outstanding service awards to 200 recipients at the Kota Darulnaim complex yesterday.

       According to Bernama, Mohd Sayuthi said the new prison would reduce congestion in existing prisons in the eastern zone.

       “Currently, the Malaysian Prisons Department has taken a temporary initiative by having rehabilitation programmes to reduce overcrowding.

       “We see it is paying off as our participation in the London Craft Week recently won awards there, as well as the attention drawn by some of our rehabilitation programmes from other countries’ prisons departments including the United Kingdom,” he said.