The government is considering whipping convicts more in exchange for shorter jail sentences in a bid to combat overcrowding in prisons and cut costs, the senate was told today.

The plan is among eight alternatives being studied by the government, Deputy Internal Security Minister Noh Omar was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency.

The government spends more than RM409 million a year on prisons, he said.

"The cost of each prisoner is RM35 a day and there are 32,464 prisoners in the country. The cost includes spending on food, rehabilitation, training, clothes, guards, equipment and others."

The government was also considering other alternatives including allowing the payment of fines in installments for light sentences and sending mentally ill prisoners direct to mental hospitals, he said.

Malaysian law prescribes whipping as a punishment for a wide range of crimes.