VZCZCXRO4252
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHBD #0258/01 3030610
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 300610Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4686
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 000258 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS/COPPOLAMG, CA/OCS/PROCTORL 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR PHUM CASC BX
SUBJECT: BRUNEI'S PRISONS: CURRENT CONDITIONS AND FUTURE PLANS 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
1.(SBU) On October 28, 2009, DCM and POL Assistant visited Brunei's 
newest prison facility - Maraburong Prison. Deputy Director Abdul 
Manan Hj Abdul Rahman, along with his senior staff, lead a tour and 
answered questions about Brunei's penal system.  While conditions in 
the prison are good, a third of inmates have undergone canning. The 
most common offences are drug-related, followed by immigration 
violations. The death penalty has not been carried out since 1996. 
About one third of the inmates are foreigners and there has never 
been an American prisoner.  Brunei's penal system is primarily 
focused on rehabilitation. Reintegration of prisoners into society 
is a significant issue.  The department is planning to centralize 
all prisoners in the Maraburong complex and is undergoing a three 
phase construction project with a total capacity of 1000 prisoners, 
far exceeding the current population of almost 400.  Prison 
officials would like to have immigration offenders housed in 
separate facility. Currently, there is no juvenile detention 
facility. Prison officials expressed interest in learning more about 
the U.S. prison system, with a focus on prison industries and the 
parole system. Embassy would like to facilitate visits and welcomes 
Department support. End Summary. 
 
 
BRUNEI'S PRISON SYSTEM: DEMOGRAPHICS AND TRENDS 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
2.(SBU) There are a total of 386 inmates in the entire Brunei penal 
system.  Of this total, 372 are convicted prisoners and 14 are on 
remand awaiting trial. About 30 percent of the inmate population is 
foreign. Indonesians, followed by Malaysians and Filipinos, are the 
largest group of foreign inmates. There has never been an American 
prisoner, according to officials. There are about 40 women inmates 
who are housed at the Jerudong prison facility.  The largest 
percentages of inmates are incarcerated for drug-related offences. 
Those serving for immigration offences make up the next largest 
group of prisoners.  Prison officials stated they see a growing 
trend amongst those convicted for drug offenses.  More inmates are 
being convicted for trafficking and using methamphetamine.  In 
addition, male inmates convicted for sexual offences are also on the 
rise. 
 
DEATH PENALTY, CANNING, AND PAROLE 
---------------------------------- 
3.(SBU) The last death sentence occurred in 1996.  Today, offenders 
on death row can appeal their sentences to His Majesty and the 
current trend is for the sentence to be commuted to a life sentence. 
 However, less than five percent of inmates on life sentences are 
commuted for release.  A total number of 184 inmates have undergone 
corporal punishment - canning- between 2008 till October 2009. The 
most common offenses that carry the canning penalty are: Drug 
offences, immigration violations, prostitution, and violent crimes. 
Brunei's penal system does not have parole but it does have a 
remittance system where a third of the sentence is automatically 
reduced if prisoner maintains good behavior while incarcerated. 
 
FACILTIES AND SERVICES: 
----------------------- 
4.(SBU) Brunei's prison department currently has two correctional 
facilities - the Jerudong Prison that accommodates the serious 
offenders and women inmates (separately), and the Maraburong prison 
which houses minimum to medium security offenders.  There is an 
almost one to one ratio of guard to prisoners with a total of 133 
prison staffs including wardens and civil officers at Maraburong. 
Brunei has a "docile" prison population according to Deputy 
Director, Abdul Manan, who stated there have been no riots in 
Brunei's prisons in the past 30 years. The department previously 
operated the drug rehabilitation center, but handed over the 
facility to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in February 2008. 
Both prison facilities have permanent resident medical officers who 
are provided by the Ministry of Health. 
 
FOCUS ON REHABILITAION 
---------------------- 
¶5. (SBU) Brunei's prisons are primarily focused on rehabilitation 
programs with a mission to "protect and rehabilitate efficiently". 
Rehabilitation, in the form of religious education for Islamic 
prisoners, is conducted by officials from the Ministry of Religious 
Affairs.  According to Superintendent Isamuddin Juna, as part of 
their social/religious rehabilitation, the prison also provides for 
"religious freedom" by observing religious holidays for inmates of 
different religions.  For secondary education, inmates are given the 
opportunity to retake various school examinations as most inmates 
are unemployed school drop-outs. (NOTE: Brunei's education system is 
modeled after the British "A" and "O" level system. End Note) 
Vocational training, in woodworking and agricultural skills, is the 
primary job training provided.  The woodworking products are of 
commercial quality but the prison has had difficulty setting up 
commercial ventures to market and sell their products throughout 
Brunei. Inmates receive daily salaries but are not compensated 
 
BANDAR SER 00000258  002 OF 002 
 
 
directly from product sales.  Prison officials noted their interest 
in learning more about the U.S. Federal Prison's UNICOR Industries. 
 
LOW RECIDIVISM BUT TOUGH TIME INTEGRATING 
----------------------------------------- 
6.(SBU) Recidivism rates are relatively low, between 10-15 percent. 
However, prison officials stated inmates have difficult time 
reintegrating into Bruneian society.  For example, a Bruneian has 
been to prison 22 times because his fellow Bruneians, including his 
family, have refused to allow him "back into society."   Prison 
Officer Zulhilmi Bakri said his office is working on addressing 
society's stigmatization of former convicted inmates in order for 
the individual to have a smoother reintegration into society. 
Community based programs along with a parole system that more 
closely monitors the inmate after his/her release is envisioned as 
means to assist with reintegration. Currently, inmates are simply 
released with no follow up services required or provided. 
 
 
FUTURE PLANS 
------------ 
¶7. (SBU) The Maraburong Prison's Phase 1 facility can currently 
house 200 inmates at maximum capacity.  The Prison's Phase 2 
project; is currently under construction. Phase 3 will be completed 
in 2011.  The goal is the ability to accommodate 1000 inmates.  All 
inmates will be housed in the Maraburong facility once the third 
phase is completed. The Jerudong facility is planned to house 
immigration offenders.  The Prison Department hopes to establish a 
community-based correctional facility for juvenile delinquents in 
the future due to the current court policy that juveniles are 
imposed a fine rather than sent to prison.  However, the department 
faces an uphill battle for funding. Community based programs, in 
conjunction with a parole like system, is of keen interest.  The 
Prison officers noted that they would like to visit U.S. facilities 
to learn more about the U.S. prison system, particularly the parole 
system and prison industries. Embassy would welcome Department's 
support in facilitating this request. 
 
TODD