KOTA KINABALU: Prisoners – or "prospects", as the Prison Department aims to refer to them from now on – should not view jail terms as the end of the line for them but an opportunity to turn over a new leaf.
“Prove that you can change and can choose the right path after (your term),” its Corrective Division director Nora Musa said after a Hijrah Kasih programme at the Kota Kinabalu Prison Department Integrity School on Thursday (May 8).
The 16th edition of the programme from Tuesday to Thursday (May 6 to 8) saw 49 prospects from three correctional institutions in Sabah given a chance to change through education and moral development, she said.
The programme is organised by the department and Education Ministry and aims to provide the skills necessary to earn a good living upon release.
It is also a platform for families and communities to understand the importance of second chances, education, reform and support, Nora said.
“Prison walls should not stop anyone from rising again and changing for the better,” she stressed.
“Quality education is the basis of the effort to rehabilitate and create people of moral values and build character, especially among the youth."
She added that the department's vision to be a pioneering corrective facility would not be achieved without the collaboration of all involved, especially in terms of education and human development.
Nora said Hijrah Kasih also provides a platform for self-reflection, making amends and resetting the future.
“The participation of families and friends shows how blood ties remain strong despite the separation by prison walls," she said, adding that such support also helps encourage change.
Participants in the recent event were from the Kota Kinabalu Integrity School, the Henry Gurney School for Women Kota Kinabalu, and Henry Gurney School Keningau.
The approach of building character through such programmes began at the Henry Gurney School in Telok Mas, Melaka in 2012, with proven results, Nora added.
