KUANTAN: Paroled prisoners, including those granted early release through the Licensed Release of Prisoners programme, will be given the opportunity to take up jobs as deep sea fishing vessel crewmen if there are offers on the table.
Pahang Prisons Department director Datuk Abu Hasan Hussain said discussions between the Fisheries and the Prisons departments have already been held, and both parties had agreed to the move.
He said the Fisheries Department decided to give a second chance to parolees and inmates under the Licensed Prisoner Release programme to venture into the fisheries sector.
"This is the first time such an initiative has been introduced and to ensure the inmates are prepared for the challenges as crew members at sea they will be provided training by the vessel owners. Inmates might be required to undergo training of between one and two weeks.
"We previously supplied parolees and Licensed Prisoner Release inmates to work in the large scale plantation sector at several oil palm smallholdings in Pahang," he said when contacted.
Abu Hasan was asked to comment on the request by the Fisheries Department urging deep-sea vessel owners to hire ex-inmates as crew members to reduce dependency on foreign workers.
Meanwhile, Abu Hasan said the Prisons Department has no issues getting the inmates ready for the job but their potential employers have to meet the requirements and ensure the welfare of the inmates are given priority.
"The employers or deep sea vessel owners have to ensure the inmates are provided a proper working environment and allow them to focus on their job especially while out at sea.
"If required, both the Penor and Bentong prisons are prepared to deploy these parolees and ex-inmates for the job. Vessel owners can directly contact the department and we can assist them to secure jobs.
"Apart from jobs as deep sea crew members, other quarters who require manpower to assist in the industrial sector, food outlets and other potential fields can contact the Prisons Department for further information," he said.