M'SIA'S PLAN FOR PRISONER TRANSFER PROGRAMME ON HUMANITARIAN REASONS

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 27 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government proposal to
implement a prisoner transfer programme with neighbouring countries is based on
humanitarian reasons and to help solve overcrowding in prisons, Home Minister
Hishammuddin Hussein said Thursday.

"I hope this is something that we can explore in the future because it is a
win-win situation, especially when our prisons are all overcrowded.

"This joint effort between the two countries can resolve many issues but it
can only be done if we have strong bilateral ties," he told reporters after the
ministry-level Merdeka (Independence) celebration, here.

Hishammuddin responded thus when asked to comment on an appeal by the family
of Sheikh Faeizan Omar, 20, or Pak Tam who is serving a 25-year sentence in
Taiwan for drug possession for a reduction of the prison term and for him to
serve out the sentence in Malaysia.

With regard to the appeal by Sheikh Faeizan's father, Omar Yani, 54,
Hishammuddin said he sympathised with the family but added that an offence was
an offence, whether it was committed in Malaysia or elsewhere.

"Nobody is above the law, and you have to answer for your actions within the
laws that are available, whether it is in our country or in another," he said.

On the National Key Result Areas (NKRA) of the ministry presented to the
Cabinet today, he said the ministry would ensure that the pledge made to the
people to reduce street crimes and snatch thefts by 20 per cent by 2010 would be
fulfilled though some quarters felt that the target was too high.
-- BERNAMA