KUALA LUMPUR, October 18 – During his budget speech for 2025, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced plans to introduce a new law permitting house arrest as an alternative punishment for certain offenses. This proposed legislation aims to provide a rehabilitative option for offenders, requiring them to remain in designated locations, such as their homes, care centers, or worker dormitories, for the duration of their sentence.
Anwar stated that prison officers will be responsible for setting and monitoring the conditions of house arrest to ensure compliance with the imposed punishment. This initiative seeks to focus on rehabilitation rather than traditional incarceration while maintaining close supervision of offenders. Currently, Malaysian law lacks provisions allowing prisoners to serve their sentences under house arrest, though Section 43 of the Prisons Act 1995 does allow for a prisoner to be released on license based on regulations from the home minister.
The announcement comes amid ongoing discussions regarding the prison system and the need for alternatives to incarceration. Former Prime Minister Najib Razak had previously claimed he was granted permission to serve his remaining jail term under house arrest, based on a supplementary order purportedly issued by the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong. However, his application for judicial review to enforce this order was rejected by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in July, a decision that Najib is currently appealing.
