Nazri: Brown ICs a way to provide background on criminals

THE brown identification card carried by former convicts is to help potential employers know their background.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said this would prevent ex-convicts from getting jobs related to their previous crimes.

He gave an example of a paedophile in Britain, who managed to obtain a job caring for children at a hostel despite being jailed, causing a public furore.

“If we don’t give a signal or indication to the public that this person had been jailed before, the consequences may be even worse,” said Nazri in reply to Zulkifli Noor-din (Ind-Kulim Bandar Baru), who had asked if the Government planned to review the use of the brown ICs.

To another question, he said there were currently 35 prisoners on death row.

“But this is not necessarily a bad thing. The long waiting period may reveal fresh evidence,” he said.

At the Parliament lobby, Nazri said Malaysia might become the 115th country to join the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has its headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands.

He said the Government would need to get feedback from various quarters and study the matter in detail before making a decision.

“Malaysia has always had a positive stand on the ICC,” he said, adding that in order to join as member, Malaysia would have to ratify the Rome Statute, an international treaty.

“A memorandum will be prepared by the Foreign Ministry for submission to the Cabinet,” he said.

ICC president Sang-Hyun Song will meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in Parliament today to give a full briefing on the benefits and importance of Malaysia joining as a member.