TİKA’s Textile Workshop Project in Malaysia Reintegrates Prisoners into Society

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) established a textile workshop equipped with state-of-the-art technology at Bentong Prison in Malaysia, providing rehabilitation opportunities for inmates. The facility has the capacity to accommodate 55 individuals at a time.

In Pahang, where the prison is located, various vocational training programs are in place to support the reintegration of 3,500 inmates into society. As part of these efforts, TİKA launched a textile workshop equipped with modern machinery, aiming to help inmates acquire professional skills and facilitate their reintegration into the workforce.

The opening ceremony of the workshop was attended by Emir Saim Yüksel, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Kuala Lumpur; Dr. Naci Yorulmaz, Vice President of TİKA; Ahmad Kâmil, Director of the Prison; and Zulia Binti Khamis, Director of the Department of International Relations and Prisoner Transfer at Malaysia’s Ministry of Justice.

Speaking at the ceremony, TİKA Vice President Dr. Naci Yorulmaz highlighted the agency’s commitment to people-oriented projects worldwide and stated, “Today, we are taking an important step toward ensuring a life worthy of human dignity. Through similar initiatives in many countries—from Albania to Somalia and from Latin America to Africa—we empower disadvantaged individuals to achieve economic independence. This project is not just a vocational training program, it is a doorway to hope.”

Dr. Yorulmaz also emphasized the invaluable support of Queen Tunku Azizah of Pahang for the initiative, underscoring that such collaborations further strengthen the bonds of brotherhood between Türkiye and Malaysia.

Khamis, an official from the Malaysian Ministry of Justice, expressed their satisfaction in collaborating with TİKA and stated, “Projects like these, which aim to reintegrate prisoners into society and help them lead dignified lives, highlight the humanitarian aspect of our approach to justice. We believe in reconnecting people to life, not cutting them off from it. Everyone deserves a second chance. Through these workshops, we are working to support prisoners in their reintegration into society, and we look forward to realizing more projects in partnership with TİKA.”

The textile workshop, established with TİKA’s support, will not only equip prisoners with vocational skills to facilitate their reintegration into society but also allow them to receive a share of the income generated.