BY SARAH HAFIZAH CHANDRA and ALVERDTEKOSTER ANYAP
WORKING in a prison surrounded by inmates who have committed violent or non-violent crime is hardly anyone’s first choice of career.
Within brick walls and gates, executions of the death penalty and caning are carried out like clockwork.
In Malaysia, caning is used as a supplementary punishment to imprisonment for approximately 60 crimes including embezzlement, robbery, rape and kidnapping – for most cases, the punishment is carried out in private.
As eerie as it may sound for ordinary folk, this is how caning officers like Nik Idris (not his real name) make their bread and butter.
The 50-year-old has been working as a caning officer for almost 20 years.
He began his career as a prison officer at the old Kuching Central Prison in 2000.
He said he had always been interested to be part of a uniform body since he was young.
“I was appointed as a caning officer in 2003 and I received my certification from the Malaysian Prisons Department.
“There were a series of courses and tests I had to undergo to ensure the caning process is in compliance with the standard operating procedure (SOP),” he told New Sarawak Tribune and Suara Sarawak.
As a caning officer at the Puncak Borneo Prison, Nik said his work experience differs from the other prison officers.
“I execute the physical punishment which is caning to the inmates based on the court’s ruling,” he said.
It honestly takes nerves of steel to do what Nik does for a living as when asked if his work affects his emotions, he simply answered ‘no’.
Nik explained that both caning officers and prison officers are trained to carry out their tasks without being affected by their emotions.
He said the execution of caning can only be done at the time the sentence is carried out.
“As prison officers, we restrain from using any violence in carrying out our duty unless we are being attacked by the inmates or if there is an attempt to injure a prison officer by the inmates.
“We would only resort to physical action after giving stern warnings to the inmates who try to attack,” he said.
While his job may not have emotional impacts, Nik said it does make him reflect on important life lessons like how to be a better human being.
He said it also serves as a guidance in the way he teaches his children and their upbringing so that they always take care of their behaviour as well as who they associate with.
“To me, religious upbringing and close bonds within a family are very important as it helps the generation become a society that is disciplined as well as respectful of each other,” he said.
Nik pointed out that working with the Prisons Department is his pride and joy.
He said the love and passion he has for his job was instilled throughout the years of carrying out duties, starting from his role in the general security control.
“During the time, there were many life experience stories shared by inmates who underwent detention at the prison.
“These valuable stories served as a lesson and guidance for me to be a better individual in the future,” he said.
Nik sees his duty as one of the prison officers assisting to help inmates who have done wrong to become better people as a noble act.
“This is one of the amalan (practices) I am doing as a good deed for me in the afterlife, inshaAllah,” he added.
