KUANTAN: After being incarcerated 12 times for various offences, Afik, 31, (not his real name) from Bentong found his past was no longer bearable and plans to repent, hoping to start anew.
He served his jail terms at five prisons for drug offences on 11 occasions and once for failing to provide his MyKad.
Youngest of nine siblings, Afik said he was first sentenced to behind bars in 2015 when he was 23 and has been in and out of jail ever since.
"On each occasion, I spent between four and five months in jail and in 2020, I was sentenced to five years in jail and one stroke of rotan at the Bentong prison.
"I have been detained at Penor prison here, Jasin prison in Melaka and Simpang Renggam in Johor.
"The strong influence from friends turned me into an addict. Each time I was in prison, I will tell myself that I should stay away from drugs upon being released, but I ended up taking it once I was released," he said when met.
Afik were among 19 prisoners granted an early release under the Ihsan Madani Prisoners' Release on Licence programme (Awaited Return) (PBSL) in conjunction with Christmas at the Penor prison on Thursday.
He said he was grateful to be released early and welcomed his freedom to rebuild his life again.
Rizal, 32, (not real name) from Pekan here, who has also served the jail sentence on 12 occasions for drug offences said he did not wish to step into the prison complex again.
"I started to be involved with drugs since primary school and the influence from friends turned me into a hardcore addict.
"I was arrested and began to serve the jail sentence in 2015, and since then almost every year I will be detained and jailed.
"Since I have been released, I want to move to a new place and start a new life. I want to stay away from drugs," he said.
Also present were Pahang Prisons deputy director, Senior Assistant Commissioner Mat Yaacob and Penor prison director Raja Mohd Amazon Raja Daut.
The inmates from the Penor and Bentong prison had committed various offences including consuming drugs, stealing and failing to settle court fine payments.
Meanwhile, Mat said PBSL was a second chance for the inmates to change for the better and not commit any offences in the future.
"Those who entered the prison due to drug offences should not return to their former friends. They must plan their future well and try to start a new life with a positive mindset," he said.