KUALA LUMPUR: While Muslims rejoice on the morning of Hari Raya Aidilfitri in festive attire with their families, there are those who must face the holiday behind iron bars in sorrow and regret as they shed tears for past mistakes.
While we revel in laughter and delight in the array of special dishes prepared by loving hands, young offenders can only partake in the meals provided by the Puncak Alam Correctional Centre.
There are no new clothes or Raya photos, or even the chance to kiss the hands of their beloved parents - a price they are paying for making the wrong choices.
"This is the fourth year I haven't celebrated Aidilfitri with my mother. No more enjoying mee curry with meehoon or kuey teow, no more mother's cooking... If only I could taste her dishes again, I'd surely cry," said a teary Lan, 19, to Bernama.
"If I could see my mother, I would like to seek her forgiveness. I made a mistake in not listening to her advice. If I had, this would not have happened," he added.
The teenager bitterly regrets that by trusting his friends and not thinking things through, his life was ruined in a blink of an eye as the youngest of six siblings faces a murder charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code for an acid attack on a man several years ago. Now, he anxiously awaits the court's verdict, pondering whether he will be found guilty or not.
Boboy, 21, who is facing charges under Section 376 (1) of the Penal Code for raping an underage girl, does not remember the last time he celebrated Aidilfitri with his family.
"I don't have any memories of Hari Raya with my family. The only memories are when I was studying at a tahfiz school in Kuala Kangsar. My family never came to visit.
"I long to experience celebrating Hari Raya with my family. I don't know when I'll get the chance. After my arrest, I lost contact with my grandmother and younger sister," he said, adding that his mother passed away when he was just seven years old.
Boboy, the older of two siblings, reflected on his upbringing within a family entangled in drug-related troubles, where loved ones were often in and out of prison due to involvement with illicit substances.
Meanwhile, the youngest resident at the centre, 15-year-old Angah, noted that this is his first Aidilfitri within the facility.
"I feel lost, it's my first time away from my family. I won't be able to help my father with lemang like I used to," he lamented, having been confined to the centre a month ago for attempting to break into a luxury home with his 13-year-old brother.
He explained that financial struggles and frequent food shortages forced him into such actions.
Another young offender, known as Adam, 21, shared that the consequences of choosing the wrong company led him to serve a five-year prison sentence for robbery, causing him to miss three Hari Raya Aidilfitri with his beloved mother.
"I deeply regret my actions; I never listened to my mother. If I could meet her, I would sincerely apologise for not setting a good example for my siblings," he said. - Bernama
