300 students get to experience ‘harsh prison life’

KAJANG: As the school term comes to an end, some 300 students from three schools here got the lesson of their life within the four walls of a prison.

They were participants of a halfday “Message from Prison” event organised by Kajang Prison and Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) as part of an awareness programme to get them to steer clear of unhealthy elements.

Several inmates were called upon to share their past experiences – which led to their jail term – in a psychodrama entitled Choice and Hope.

MCPF special project director Datuk Seri Johny Ch’ng Ewe Gee said the programme was timely in view of the long school break and rising social issues and moral decadence affecting the society.

Ch’ng said many students were touched by the short play acted out by the inmates, causing them to break down and vow never to take the wrong path.

“Crime and public safety are matters of concern to the society.

“If both are not properly addressed and kept in check, it could lead to a host of undesirable social issues, detrimental to the economy and society at large,” he said.

Ch’ng, who is also Pahang MCPF chairman, said with the advent of technology, it had also changed the landscape, posing more challenges to the authorities especially the police to get an upper hand against wrongdoers.

He said MCPF would continue to do its part to help the authorities by way of organising crime prevention programmes in stages all over the country.

“We believe education is the key and students should be exposed at an early age.

“Once they know the pitfall of getting into the wrong side of the law and the dire consequences that follow, hopefully they will steer clear of crime and bad company,” he said.

Kajang Prison director Abdul Halim Ma Hassan said the public had the misconception that prison was “the place” to lock up those who had been convicted of various crimes.

“As correctional officers, one of our roles is to discipline these inmates so that they can blend back into the society upon their release.

“So awareness of their presence is crucial in order for the society to give them a second chance after serving time,” he said.

Abdul Halim said they would continue to work closely with MCPF and other agencies to spread the message and help reduce the crime rate in the country.