Section 2
Interpretation
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—
“prisoner” means a person, whether convicted or not, under confinement in a prison and in relation to a convicted prisoner, includes a prisoner released on parole;
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“psychiatric hospital” means an approved psychiatric hospital established under the Mental Health Act 2001 [Act 615];
“young prisoner” means a prisoner who is below twenty-one years of age;
“prescribed restricted diet” means a scale of diet as may be prescribed from time to time for the purposes of section 50;
“prescribed” means prescribed by or under this Act and where the authority is not specified, by the Minister;
“registered dentist” means a dentist registered under the
Dental Act 1971 [Act 51];
“Visiting Justice” means a member of the Board of Visiting
Justices appointed under section 64;
“sentence of imprisonment” means a sentence whether served in confinement in a prison or served on parole, and includes an original sentence passed by a court as well as a sentence awarded by way of commutation;
“Committee” means the Prison Officers’ Reward Fund Committee established under section 62;
“minor prison offence” and “aggravated prison offence” mean an offence committed by a prisoner against prison discipline and so specified in regulations made under this Act;
*“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Prison appointed under subsection 10(2);
*NOTE—All references to the Director General of Prison and Deputy Director General of Prison in any written law or in any instrument, deed, title, document, bond, agreement and working arrangement subsisting immediately before the date of the coming into operation of this Prison Act
(Amendment) 2008 [Act A1332], shall, on the date of the coming into operation of Act A1332, be construed as references to the Commissioner General of Prison and Commissioner of Prison respectively–see section 4 of Act A1332 and P.U. (B) 260/2008.
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*“Commissioner General” means the Commissioner General of
Prison appointed under subsection 10(1);
“Fund” means the Prison Officers’ Reward Fund established under section 60;
“court” means a court established by or under Part IX of the
Federal Constitution and shall include—
(a)
Syariah Courts;
(b)
Native Courts; and
(c)
Military Courts;
“Minister” means the Minister charged with the responsibility for prisons;
“prison officer” means a uniformed staff of the prison department from and including the rank of Commissioner General of Prison down to and including a Warder;
“Medical Officer” and “Dental Officer” mean the Medical Officer or Dental Officer, as the case may be, appointed under section 14;
“police officer” has the meaning assigned thereto under the Police
Act 1967 [Act 344];
“Junior Prison Officer” means a prison officer of any rank from and including a Prison Sub Inspector down to and including a Warder;
“Officer in Charge” means a prison officer not below the rank of
Assistant Commissioner of Prison who is in charge of a prison;
*NOTE—All references to the Director General of Prison and Deputy Director General of Prison in any written law or in any instrument, deed, title, document, bond, agreement and working arrangement subsisting immediately before the date of the coming into operation of this Prison Act
(Amendment) 2008 [Act A1332], shall, on the date of the coming into operation of Act A1332, be construed as references to the Commissioner General of Prison and Commissioner of Prison respectively–see section 4 of Act A1332 and P.U. (B) 260/2008.
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“Registrar” includes the Chief Registrar, Deputy Registrar, Senior
Assistant Registrar, Assistant Registrar, and the Registrar of the
Subordinate Courts, as the case may require;
“registered medical practitioner” means a medical practitioner provisionally registered under section 12 or fully registered under section 14 of the Medical Act 1971 [Act 50], as the case may be;
“State Prison Director” means a prison officer at a particular State not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Prison;
“prison” means any house, building, enclosure or place, or any part thereof, declared to be a prison under section 3 and shall include the grounds and buildings within the prison enclosure and also the airing grounds or other grounds or buildings belonging or attached thereto and used by prisoners;
“Commissioner General’s Standing Orders” means the Standing
Orders issued from time to time by the Commissioner General;
“competent authority” means any person or authority vested with the power to commit a person to prison under any written law;
“weapon” means any staves, arms, ammunition, and includes any instrument as may be determined by the Commissioner General;
“arm” has the meaning assigned thereto under the Arms Act 1960
[Act 206];
“Commission” means the Public Services Commission established under Article 139 of the Federal Constitution;
“place of work” means a place where prisoners are required by the
Commissioner General to work for purposes of rehabilitation of prisoners, such work being performed under the supervision of prison officers;
“Deputy Commissioner General of Prison” means the Deputy
Commissioner General of Prison appointed under subsection 10(2).
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(2)
For the purpose of the definition of “young prisoner” in subsection (1), it shall include a prisoner who—
(a)
is not a young prisoner as defined under the Ordinances repealed by this Act;
(b)
is below twenty one years of age; and
(c)
is serving a term of imprisonment passed before the coming into force of this Act.