Ministry to clarify house arrest bill in Parliament on Thursday

The Home Ministry will provide clarification on the new house arrest bill in the Dewan Rakyat this Thursday, said Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

He said he would offer comprehensive details about the bill during the ministry’s policy-level winding-up debate that day.

“On Thursday, I will explain the rationale behind the bill, outline the process, define the parameters, and indicate the number of participants anticipated for the programme,” he said.

Saifuddin (above, right) added that the details would address public concerns, which, he noted, have focused on a single individual, following the mention of house arrest in Budget 2025 tabled last month.

He said this to reporters after attending the Home Minister’s Townhall Session, titled “Reducing Dependence on Foreign Workers through Recruiting Prospects Who Undergo Rehabilitation in the Community”, at the Prisons Department headquarters in Kajang, Selangor, today.

Expanding on the matter, Saifuddin Nasution clarified that, while he mentioned about 20,000 offenders would be eligible for the programme, this does not imply that all would undergo house arrest simultaneously.

“There are several criteria that must be met, such as maintaining discipline throughout their sentence, among other requirements.

“The Prisons Department and my ministry have prepared all necessary data for this purpose,” he explained.

He said the Home Ministry has received the green light from the cabinet to implement house arrests and plans to conduct engagement sessions with various stakeholders.

In the 2025 Budget document, it was announced that the government would introduce a new law permitting home detention as an alternative for specific offences.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim outlined that under this law, offenders would be required to remain in a designated place of detention - such as a residence, care facility, or worker’s dormitory - throughout their detention period, with conditions set and monitored by prison officers.

- Bernama

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