warrant a Royal Commission. It might consist of different experts from the judiciary, Bar Council, prison officers and CSOs. 6.2 YB Nurul Izzah Anwar, Member of Parliament, Malaysia YB Nurul Izzah stated that as a member of the APPGM, the group are wholeheartedly in this regardless of their political inclinations. They condition in prison requires proper attention due to the current pandemic situation. Currently, most prisoners have been vaccinated. SUHAKAM has said that several agencies reported death in custody. The current initiatives shows that it was still a positive development. Speakers of both Houses of Parliament had highlighted that the prison reform agenda will be included in the 12th Malaysia Plan. It includes improving the prison, rehabilitation, and detention centers. We do not want new prisons to be built but to replace current facilities. Further, new legislation plans to add rehab as part of the imprisonment. In February 2021, there has been a change of punishments for drug addicts to rehabilitation in the amendments of legislation77. Parliaments can support prison as the pandemic has added a specter of prison reform. During COVID-19, you have 13 people packed in a small house and what about the prisoners? We have been pushing for prison reform through the APPGM. We hope to announce a Working Committee on Prison Reform. Open prison data is important to ensure safer conditions for prisoners. Legislation comes from the Executives. It is hard for private members to pass bills to the government. They are supported by Ceria, Universiti Malaya78 so they are guided by science and not politics. Experts are needed to make far more effective solutions in improving life and prison reform. YB Nurul Izzah ends her presentation with key recommendations to stakeholders in addressing prison reform agenda in Malaysia such as: 1) Establishing a Prison Reforms Working Committee involving agencies related to the Sentencing and Probation Council; 2) Placing prison healthcare under the Ministry of Health; 3) Criminal justice reform and drug act amendments; 4) No new prisons unless to replace the older ones as the target is to reduce those behind the bars; 5) Reducing stigma such as employing the term of “people in prison” rather than “prisoners”; 6) Focusing funding on reintegration where NGOs are willing to work together with the Prison Department; 7) Open prison data which may help Prison Department to effectively manage prisons in future; and 8) Plea bargains for vulnerable groups of people in prisons. 77 Introduction of The Drug and Substance Abuse Act to replace Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983 78 Centre of Excellence For Research in AIDS, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya 61