"I CAN'T wait to go home, to hug and kiss my child I left behind after I was sentenced to Kluang Prison for almost two years ago," said a former prisoner who wanted to be known as Chiew, 42.
She was among 41 prisoners involved in the Ihsan Madani Licensed Release of Prisoner's Programme (PBSL) in conjunction with Merdeka Day and Malaysia Day at Kluang Prison recently.
Even more tragically, the single mother also gave birth to her fifth child on the first day she set foot in Kluang Prison in November 2023 without being accompanied by her parents or other children.
As a result, she was forced to separate from her child because she was caught up in a syndicate of unlicensed moneylenders or alongs and was sentenced to two years in prison.
Chiew said the experience of languishing in prison for 18 months after being arrested with friends for burning down 22 houses and vehicles for RM1,000 each time she did the job was very eye-opening.
"I conspired with a friend to carryout such jobs and we were paid by the along. We did this work throughout Johor including in Johor Bahru, Kulai, Pontian, Batu Pahat, Segamat, Muar and Tangkak.
"We were charged with 22 offences with punishments including fines and imprisonment. Since then I have realised the mistakes I made by following my friends too much without thinking about the consequences.
"Every time, I imagine my children under the care of my mother in Johor Bahru, I miss them and from now on, I want to be with them all the time," she.
Chiew said that while serving her sentence, she learnt skills in sewing and making bags that she had never known before.
Another former prisoner known as Azmi, 57, was grateful to have received PBSL for stealing a mobile phone to sell.
"Previously, I worked part-time as a translator, but my luxurious family life turned difficult, causing me to be desperate for money which eventually led me into the dark world," said the bachelor. - August 30, 2025
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