MACHANG: “I have never given up filing a petition for a pardon from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to be released from prison,“ said Pok Lie (not his real name), a prisoner of the Moral Rehabilitation Centre (PPA), Machang.
The confession of the prisoner is heartbreaking since he has been behind iron bars for 19 years after being sentenced to prison under Section 121 of the Penal Code for the offence of joining the Al-Ma’unah Organisation with a life sentence.
According to him, he had filed for a petition for a pardon four times in the hope of assisting the family to help educate his children and grandchildren, but until now the application was still rejected by the Pardons Board.
Pok Li is among the 21 prisoners feted in the “Jalinan Kasih” programme at Machang Correctional Centre, here today.
According to Pok Lie, he initially intended to pursue professional medical knowledge at the postgraduate level after watching a video that illustrates how to cure illness using internal energy.
“However, while joining the spiritual course, I along with several other individuals were brought by a group up the hill and were surprised when we saw a lot of firearms there.
“For five days we camped in the hills until we were surrounded by thousands of troops in four corners and when we were instructed to surrender, only I and another friend did so to the high-ranked military personnel,“ said the father of eight children and seven grandchildren.
According to him, due to the offence, he was sentenced to Kajang Prison, later transferred to Pengkalan Chepa Prison for more than a month and eventually moved to Machang Rehabilitation Centre, in 2013 until now.
“Every day I can only pray to Allah to ease everything and to obtain the forgiveness of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, which was previously rejected without reason.
“I always hope that the sentence can be reduced after receiving a pardon from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,“ he said.
However, Pok Lie said he was still grateful that while serving his sentence at the rehabilitation centre, he was appointed imam and gave a sermon on Friday prayers and recited a prayer at the morning functions.
Another prisoner, Me Ran (not his real name), 36, said he was sentenced to 54 years imprisonment and 45 whipping for raping under Section 376 of the Penal Code.
“I was arrested in 2011, then sentenced to imprisonment in 2013 and has been celebrating Aidilfitri for eight years behind the iron bars that made me feel repentant.
“Here I study religion, pray in groups, recite the Qur’an and learn more about myself,“ he said.
Meanwhile, the Senior Assistant Commissioner (PKK), Zaidi Hamid said the “Jalinan Kasih” programme was attended by 80 members of the prison inmates family.
“The chosen inmates selected to participate in the programme are those who have shown good behaviour and discipline. Those who have been here too long are also given the opportunity to spend time with their respective families.
“We have tried our best to rehabilitate them through various programmes and hope that people out there will lend their support to them during the transition period,“ he said. — Bernama
