Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) have sounded the alarm over alleged water shortages at Kajang Prison, where inmates are forced to wait hours to fill a single pail, struggle to access drinking water and, in some cases, cannot use the toilet for days.

The alleged conditions raise serious concerns over basic hygiene, sanitation, and the health of more than 5,000 inmates held at the prison, among them its most high-profile prisoner, former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.

In response to a Malaysiakini query, the Prisons Department said it was reviewing the allegations to establish the actual situation and ensure the matter received due attention.

In a statement this morning, LFL outreach and communications coordinator Thiruna Jayshan Jaya Kumar said the group received complaints on Oct 12 from lawyers representing detainees held under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) about the prison’s water supply woes.