Ministry of Human Resources Proposes Prison Records Be Kept Confidential for Employment Purposes

By Jasmine Qistina  •  18 Nov 2021 in News

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The Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR) is proposing for prison records to be classified from third parties as ex-inmates find difficulty in getting employed after background checks. 

Minister of Human Resources, Datuk Seri M. Saravanan addressed this matter yesterday at the launch of Second Chances and Opportunities for People to Excel (SCOPE), an initiative to help integrate ex-inmates back into society. 

The SCOPE programme is supported by the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) and the Malaysian Prisons Department in hopes to equip ex-inmates with industrial skills training and job placement opportunities. 

Datuk Seri M. Saravanan said that the programme will run in three phases. The first being a project in collaboration with 20 employers to hire 1,000 ex-prisoners with salaries of RM1,200 to RM2,500.

While the second phase targets an employment increase of 5,000 ex-prisoners, the third phase, set in 2023, aims to get 15,000 individuals employed. 

The Human Resources Minister said that he will further discuss this matter with Home Affairs Minister, Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin. 

Bernama reports him saying that employers should provide employment opportunities to ex-prisoners who had mended their ways, so that they could build a new and better life for themselves and integrate into the community.