BENTONG: "I once celebrated the first of Syawal with the late Mona Fandey in the final detainee cell at Kajang Women's Prison. We celebrated Aidilfitri in a cheerful atmosphere and spent our free time chatting about various things.
"To stave off boredom, Mona would sing some of her favourite songs and read the Quran day and night; her voice was truly entertaining," recalled prison officer Norizan Hamid, 52.
According to her, celebrating Aidilfitri in the death row cell at Kajang Women's Prison, Selangor, is a memory that will never be forgotten throughout her 30 years of service as a Malaysian Prison Department warden.
Norizan, who now works at the Bentong Prison Pastry Workshop, said that throughout her 15 years of service, she had to celebrate Eid with detainees in several prisons due to her duties.
She said that during her nine years at Kajang Women's Prison, she was once assigned to guard death row detainees, including supervising Mona, whose real name was Maznah Ismail.
"Guarding the death row detainees is different from other detainees; they need to be treated as best as possible. And the most important thing is that the chicken and fish dishes served boneless for safety," she said.
Norizan said many sad and painful memories were experienced, especially when chatting with those awaiting their death sentences.
She said that working on Hari Raya required spiritual strength, especially when hearing the 'takbir' echoing in the prison. After the 'takbir', the atmosphere returns to normal by carrying out daily tasks as usual.
According to her, the nine years at Kajang Women's Prison provided her with many valuable lessons to make her more mature and competent in carrying out her duties as a prison staff member.
"In prison, she faced detainees involved in various crimes such as murder, robbery, drug trafficking, drug addiction, and theft.
"It can be said that Kajang Women's Prison becomes a university for female wardens; the experience of working in the prison can produce skilled and capable staff members.
"I don't mind working on the first of Syawal; but all preparations for Hari Raya feast need to be prepared earlier.
"My husband, who is also a prison staff member, and my child accept the fact that I cannot celebrate Aidilfitri with them.
"This Hari Raya, I also had to work, the feeling of sadness remains. Only the detainees became companions on Aidilfitri morning," she said.
Siti Noratirah Biami, 25, who is in her first year of service as a prison staff member, works in the office section as a telephone operator.
"Being my first experience working on the first of Syawal this year, I need to strengthen my spirit to shoulder the duties and responsibilities entrusted to me, being one of the sacrifices as a uniformed member," said the Kelantan native.