Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihsan announced plans to install a full body scanning machine for prison officers, to combat scam calls originating from inside prisons
Responding to questions raised by members of Parliament today, Minister Ihsan said when he took office, several scam calls could be traced back to prisoners. The minister said 19 officers involved in smuggling phones, drugs, and other prohibited items to inmates were identified in a recent operation to address the issue. In addition, a large number of mobile phones were seized from the jail in a joint operation conducted by the MNDF, police, and jail officers.
“Since then, the involvement of prisoners in scam calls has noticeably decreased, though the problem is not yet fully resolved,” Ihsan noted.
The minister said geo-fencing technology is being implemented to block phone signals from within the prison, providing a permanent solution to the issue. He noted that when he took office, there were no scanning machines for prison officers, and they were able to enter and exit prison premises without being screened. To address this issue, a temporary metal detector has been set up, and a full-body scanning machine is on its way to enhance security measures.
