Being away from family, especially during preparations for Raya, is a painful experience for those who are serving sentences for past mistakes.
For Azman, 42, a former welder serving time at the Mantin Resident Reintegration Centre here, his family’s absence has been particularly difficult. It has now been three years since he last celebrated Raya with them.
“Since being imprisoned here, I can no longer fulfil my responsibilities as a husband and father. In the past, as Aidilfitri approached, I would take my children, wife, and parents shopping for Raya clothes. Now, I can’t do that anymore.
“It’s truly heartbreaking, but I have to accept this punishment as a consequence of my own actions. I deeply regret my mistakes. Aidilfitri is a time for self-reflection,” he said when met by Bernama at the centre recently.
Azman was arrested in his hometown of Kemaman, Terengganu on March 16, 2023, and was sentenced to five years in prison and one stroke of the cane for drug trafficking. His sentence was later commuted to three years and four months.
As Aidilfitri approached, Azman found himself yearning for the cherished traditions he once shared with his family, especially his mother’s nasi impit with peanut sauce and his beloved wife’s nasi tomato.
“My mother’s cooking has a special touch – there’s nothing like it. That’s what I miss the most. If only I could help her in the kitchen, preparing for Raya, or clean the house together like we used to.
“With just one year left before my release, I hope to turn my life around and make amends for my past mistakes,” he added.
Another inmate known as Wak, from East Central Java, Indonesia, also expressed his deep sorrow at being unable to celebrate Raya with his family for the first time this year.
The 40-year-old was arrested last year and sentenced to two years in prison for drug possession and for not having proper travel documents.
“The saddest part is that my family doesn’t even know I’m in prison. My wife and children have no idea. In the past, I would return to my village at the end of Ramadan to buy Raya clothes for my two kids – but this year, I won’t be going home,” he said.