Speaking to reporters at an event in Machang, Kelantan, today, he said the bill has been approved by the Cabinet and is being drafted by the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the prisons department.
“Once the bill is drafted, we will present it to the Cabinet before tabling it in Parliament. This is expected to happen next year,” he said.
While there are no legal provisions for prisoners to serve their jail sentences under house arrest, Section 43 of the Prisons Act 1995 allows for a prisoner to be released on licence subject to any regulation made by the home minister.
Tabling the 2025 budget yesterday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the proposed new law will require offenders to remain in designated locations such as their homes, care centres or worker dormitories for the duration of their sentence.
Anwar said prison officers will set and monitor the conditions for house arrest, which would ensure their compliance with the punishment.
Former prime minister Najib Razak had previously claimed that he was allowed to serve the remainder of his jail term under house arrest following a purported supplementary order issued by the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
However, an application for leave to commence judicial review which he filed in an attempt to enforce the purported supplementary order was rejected by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in July.
Najib has appealed the decision.
Border control unit
On a separate matter, Saifuddin said an operations centre for the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA) will be established at the immigration, customs, quarantine and security (ICQS) complex in Rantau Panjang, Kelantan, early next year.
He said the centre will use the existing facilities and facilities at the ICQS complex.
“MCBA is a component that unites all the agencies at the border such as immigration, customs and other enforcement agencies.”
As a unified component, MCBA could strengthen the country’s border control. The government has approved 104 posts and 78 people have already been appointed.
Saifuddin said MCBA will involve 13,000 staff when the agency is fully operational.
He said there are 143 entry points, with the MCBA to operate at five entry points next year. Besides Rantau Panjang, the other places are at KLIA, Johor Bahru and Bukit Kayu Hitam in Kedah.