Bored Of Going To Malls For Raya Stuff? Try Shopping At Kajang Prison!
Proceeds from the sales go towards sustaining the prison’s vocational training program and to inmates in the form of stipends.
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Year after year, we go to shopping malls or scour online shopping platforms to find all our Hari Raya essentials such as kuih, baju Raya, gift hampers, and all sorts of other products to celebrate the festive season.
Just about everyone shops from the same mainstream places but imagine buying all your Raya clothes and kuih-muih from a place your friends and family would least expect: a high-security prison.
Products made by inmates
A shop called Galeri Produk My Pride located in the Kajang Prison premises sells a wide range of products with a unique twist – they’re all made by inmates from prisons around Malaysia.
Here, you can find all sorts of kuih such as Kuih Makmur, Semperit, and even the classic favourite, Pineapple Tarts.
According to a post on Galeri Produk My Pride’s instagram, they have as many as 40 types of kuih for sale this year.
@kinnnmarrr Kuih raya penjara. Semoga ramadhan & raya mereka tetap bahagia walaupun tidak bebas seperti kita.. 📍Galeri Jualan VI IPPM #kuihrayapenjara #penjarakajang #fyp ♬ Pulanglah Piano Violin – AmirullahMZ
Kuih aren’t the only things Malaysia’s inmates make, they also produce handcrafted goods such as traditional rotan baskets like these ones made by prospects at the Jelebu Drug Rehabilitation Centre.
Looking for an outfit to go with the prisoner-made handbags? The shop also sells dresses, songket cloths, and other fabric products too.
You could also find other handmade goods there, such as pottery and woodwork products.
Why does the prison do this?
A study published in the KnE Social Sciences journal discusses the challenges and expectations in implementing technical and vocational training programs for inmates in Malaysia.
The purpose of the program is to:
- Rehabilitate inmates by giving them practical skills.
- Instill discipline and a work ethic.
- Help with reintegration into society.
- Improve employability after release.
According to the study, proceeds from sales go towards sustaining the program, and inmates may receive a small stipend for their work.
Galeri Produk My Pride is having their Raya sale from 2 to 28 March and is open from 9.00am to 4.30pm. You can find the shop within the Kajang Prison complex
Would you do all your Raya shopping at a high-security prison? Let us know what goodies you find there in the comments!
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