“We are prepared to sacrifice the last of our beings to contribute to society.”
These are the heartfelt words of two former prisoners who are given a second chance at righting wrongs, following their decades-long incarceration for serious crimes.
One had been serving a jail sentence since 2000 for drug trafficking and the other since 2004 over a firearms-related offence.
The duo was among the successful applicants allowed by the Federal Court for a resentencing of their punishments in line with the government’s policy last year of abolishing the mandatory death penalty for various offences such as drug trafficking and other serious offences.
Expressing gratitude
Wishing to be known by their initials N and J, the duo vowed they would use the second chance to uphold society with every inch of their lives.
“We are willing to uphold society; this is our vow until the last inch of our lives, to not waste our lives further.
“Prison is like hell on earth,” the duo spoke during an online interview with Malaysiakini from the office of NGO Pertubuhan Kebajikan Keluarga Kasih (KeKasih).
Hailing from Kedah, J is seen with wonder on his face ruminating on being allowed another chance to make things right with the community, following his nearly two-decade-long prison sentence for an offence under the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971.
Having been detained in 1999 and sentenced to jail in 2004, the married 47-year-old reminded others in the community against falling into crime.
“I was young when I was jailed and did not have a long-term perspective then, which I now regret. I received a natural life sentence,” J said.
Having been released from jail on Jan 11 this year, he expressed gratitude to his family for the support extended to him, reflecting on the lost decades due to a fateful decision in his youth.
In his fervent desire to be of use to society to atone for his wrongdoing, J conceded that some members of the community may be uneasy with him due to suspicion over his dark past.
“People out there may seem alright (with J) on the outside, but what is in their hearts may differ. I am a former convict after all.
“What is in the past is in the past, I will avoid any future wrongdoing. I have turned a new leaf and do not wish to repeat the past,” he assured.
Meanwhile, during the same online interview, N, who went to prison in 2000 over a drug-trafficking conviction and was released on Nov 6 last year, stressed that his second chance was one granted by Allah for his atonement.
“I will use this opportunity granted to me by Allah to be the best human being possible,” the 48-year-old vowed.
Hailing from a poor family in Perlis, he thanked the local community in his village for allowing him to help them by cutting grass and doing other work.
Advice for youth
Ruminating on the mistakes of his youth, J urged the young generation to be careful in choosing friends, as this could lead to either being a law-abiding citizen or making the wrong choice.
“It is understandable for youth, no matter how close they are to their family, to seek friends as friends occupy a special position in their lives.
“However, we need to remember that the friends we choose can steer us on the right path or destroy us,” J said.
N concurred, urging today’s youth to abstain from giving in to short-term desires that could trap them in crime.
Following the government’s abolishment of the mandatory death penalty, the Revision of Sentence of Death and Imprisonment for Natural Life (Temporary Jurisdiction of The Federal Court) Act 2023 (Act 847) came into effect on Sept 12, 2023.
The law gives special jurisdiction to the Federal Court to either retain their existing sentence or resentence individuals under the sentence of death or imprisonment for natural life who had already exhausted their ordinary judicial proceedings. - Mkini
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