TAIPING: After spending 40 years in jail, Jamil Arshad will forever cherish the date Mar 22 (Wed) - when he received a royal pardon from the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar.
The many years spent languishing behind bars made Jamil, 63, the longest-serving prisoner in the country, and he was finally returned to his hometown in Kampung Guang, Keliwang, Sembawa in Indonesia this morning (Apr 18).
"When I was informed that I will be getting a royal pardon from Sultan Ibrahim, I didn't believe it because I had been sentenced to life in prison. In 2012, there was a mass amnesty in Johor where the longest-serving prisoner at the time was in for 37 years, while I had done 29 years at the time. I said in my heart, I would not stand a chance.
"I believed I was going to die in prison. All I could think of was what would I be bringing with me to the afterlife when I die, so I focussed on praying. Yesterday morning (Apr 17), when the Prisons director informed me that I will be getting a pardon, I just did not react to it.
"It was only after the Prisons director entered and asked me, Pak Jamil can you sew a Baju Melayu like this? (while showing a picture of a man clad in Baju Melayu). I looked and said yes I can. But the director insisted that I look at the picture again and asked to guess who the person was. I recognised the person but I could not recall where I met him before and it turned out that it was my brother, and I immediately went to my room and cried because I could not believe the news," he told Bernama when met at Taiping Prison yesterday (Apr 17).
Jamil said he felt grateful to be given an opportunity to spend the remaining days of his life in his village, but deep down, it was hard for him to leave the prison that helped him to turn things around and become a useful member of society.
"I am excited to be given a pardon, but at the same time, I have to say that I am also sad to leave the prison. It's so nice to be released, but it's sad to be separated from the staff who looked after me like a friend and not as a prisoner," he said.
During his time in prison, Jamil became a skillful tailor and sewed thousands of Baju Melayu and blazers for the prison officers.
Before being transferred to Taiping Prison, Jamil was incarcerated at Johor Baru prison, where he picked up the skill to make rattan furniture like chairs and tables.
In fact, Jamil said that armed with the religious knowledge acquired during his 40 years of celebrating Hari Raya in prison, he had also led other congregants for Aidilfitri prayers.
looking back at his life, Jamil advised youngsters not to waste their youth and remain steadfast to religion to avoid doing bad deeds.
"When we're young, we feel empowered when holding a gun, like the world is ours. I was not a good person even when I was in Indonesia, I would be in and out of prison. And thanks to the prison officers here, I was able to change my life and become a human being who has not missed a prayer since the 90s.
"I was determined to change everything. I prayed five times a day and did not miss out on any advice I was given, which made the last 36 years here feel like 36 months. When I look in the mirror, I see that my hair is grey. When I went to jail I was chubby, but now I am lean and thin," he said, while expressing gratitude to Sultan Ibrahim and the entire staff of Taiping Prison.
Taiping Prison director, Senior Assistant Commissioner Nazri Mohamad, said Jamil was sent to Johor Baru Prison in Feb 1983 after he was sentenced to life in prison and given six strokes of the cane under Section 5 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 (Act 37) by the Johor Baru Sessions Court.
Jamil was then transferred to Taiping Prison in 1986 to serve his sentence.
According to Nazri, on Mar 22, Jamil received a royal pardon following the Johor State Pardons Board meeting on condition that he should be deported to Indonesia and take an undertaking never to return to the country again.
Nazri also described Pak Jamil as a pious prisoner who was diligent in everything that he was involved in besides being liked by the other inmates.
"He was active in religious activities and was an imam and taught other inmates to read the Quran. Just mention the name 'Jamil Hayat' (as he was affectionately known in prison) and everyone will say they admire and respect him for his character, leadership and knowledge," he added. – BERNAMA