Twenty inmates at the Jelebu Prison were overwhelmed having been given the chance to celebrate Chinese New Year (CNY) with their family members at the prison in Titi near here, Monday.

The prison, which is a drug rehabilitation institution, can accommodate 500 inmates.

One of them, known as Leong, 27, from Seremban, said it gave him the opportunity to meet his mother and two children and celebrate CNY with them.

"I thank the administrators of Jelebu Prison for organising this programme. This programme is good and should be continued to give us the opportunity to meet family members," he said when met by reporters.

Another inmate, Tan, 36, said this programme was much awaited by inmates at the prison, especially those who had not seen their family members for a long time.

Meanwhile, Jelebu Prison director Amer Sharifudin Mat Nor said under the programme, selected inmates would be allowed to be with their family members for 45 minutes.