Malaysia releases 96 prisoners early for Deepavali festival

The Malaysian prisons department released 96 people from Kluang Prison early to allow them to celebrate Deepavali with their families.

The release included 92 men and four women who participated in a community-based rehabilitation initiative. These individuals qualified for the license-based release program after passing specific screenings and demonstrating good behavior during their sentences. Among those released were a 47-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman, both of whom expected to remain incarcerated until the end of the year.

The early release provides these individuals with a chance to reunite with their children and start over. Both Suba and Azroy expressed regret for the actions that led to their imprisonment and stated that their time in the facility served as a lesson. They plan to use the festival as a starting point to become better people and reintegrate into their communities.