Prison workers are bored: Minister

JAKARTA: One of the problems facing the notorious Cipinang prison in East Jakarta was the fact that its employees were bored, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra revealed on Tuesday.

The minister said that the employees were bored because of their routine activities, and they would therefore be transferred to other locations, but this could not be done immediately.

"The transfer could not be done at once. If all employees (in Cipinang) are new, they would get lost in the 17-hectare Cipinang penitentiary," he was quoted by Antara as saying after attending a meeting at the office of the coordinating minister of politics and security.

Last week, two inmates were killed in a brawl among two groups of prisoners over a drug transaction.

The chief warden has admitted it was likely the prison employees were involved in the illicit business, but he said there was nothing he could do to stop them. --JP