From Inmate To Al-Hafiz: ODS At Kluang PRP Memorises 12 Juzuk Of The Quran In Six Months

By Kamarul Halim M Kamal

KLUANG, 26 Mac (Bernama) -- A person under supervision (ODS) at the Kluang Residents’ Reintegration Centre (PRP) has transformed his life by memorising 12 juzuk of the Quran in just six months, despite previously having difficulty reciting the holy verses.

The ODS, who wished to be known only as Faiz, 24, said his turning point came after being placed at the PRP following his imprisonment at Kluang Prison in 2024.

“Alhamdulillah, during my time at the PRP, I have managed to memorise 12 juzuk, and I aim to complete all 30 before my release, which is less than a year away,” he said when met by Bernama recently.

Faiz shared that he once felt lost and uncertain about his future, but the rehabilitation programmes introduced him to religious and spiritual learning that gave his life a new direction.

He is now entrusted by the Malaysian Prisons Department to guide fellow inmates in Quran recitation and even serve as an imam.

Previously distant from religion, Faiz said he is grateful for the second chance to rebuild himself.

Before entering the PRP, he participated in a tahfiz initiative at Sekolah Agama Tarbiyah Husnul Khatimah (SATHK), which focuses on teaching inmates to read and memorise the Quran.

Kluang PRP Administrative Officer, Assistant Prison Superintendent Syarifuddin Kasimin, said Faiz’s achievement reflects the effectiveness of the Industrial Inmate Reintegration Programme (PRPI), which prepares inmates for life after release.

“Through PRPI, inmates gain valuable knowledge and skills, including religious education supervised by the Johor State Islamic Religious Department (JAINJ),” he said.

Faiz now aspires to become an imam and Quran teacher upon release and is working towards obtaining the necessary certification.

Meanwhile, another PRPI participant, known as Ari, 30, said the programme helped him move past his previous drug-related offences.

Currently employed at a clay factory in Ayer Hitam, Batu Pahat, he has learned to produce various clay-based items such as pots, decorative pieces and pipes.

The PRPI at PRP Kluang involves 480 inmates, with about 200 engaged in industrial sectors, including factories and courier services, while others are involved in agriculture, culinary work and air-conditioning maintenance, equipping them with practical skills and a pathway to reintegrate into society.

-- BERNAMA