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Sunday September 6, 2009

Locals fear prison complex will make Labuan a ‘penal island’


LABUAN: The Government is going ahead with the construction of a prison complex in Labuan despite strong objections from the local community.

Federal Territories Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin confirmed Saturday that the project had been given the green light.

“Every town should have one,” he said.

Labuan Corporation chief executive officer Datuk Basiran Saban told reporters that a prison in Labuan would complement the work of the police and courts.

The proposed RM79mil complex with a capacity to hold 200 inmates will be built in Kg Sungai Buton here, he said.

It is one of four prisons planned under the Ninth Malaysia Plan. The others are located in Penang, Perlis and Malacca.

Local community leaders and village chiefs are against the project as they fear a prison here would make Labuan look like a “penal island” and development would be hindered.

State prison department officials held a briefing in July on the project for which reclamation work has begun.

On another issue, Raja Nong Chik said steps were being taken to ease the water shortage problem on the island.

Sime Darby has been appointed to erect tubewells at several locations, he said.

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