Fit and healthy behind bars

KOTA KINABALU - Although they live behind bars, it did not mean that they were missing out on community activities at the Kota Kinabalu Women Prison (PWKK).

According to an inmate known as Emma, 29, they would indulge in activities like zumba dances.

She said they would participate in a zumba competition to remain energetic and ensure a healthy and fit body despite being in jail.

"I have always been interested in dancing and I really like participating in activities like this because it will make my body fitter and healthier.

"Because we are separated from our families and are serving sentence, I see an event like this as a therapy to be mentally and spiritually healthy," she said during the PWKK Healthy Lifestyle Zumba Competition at the prison in Kapayan recently.

Emma and her team had won the hearts of judges and bagged first place in the competition out of six teams.

She was previously sentenced to 17 years in prison for being involved in a human trafficking case in 2018.

However, Emma said prison was not the end for her because there were many opportunities that she was able to grab throughout her sentence such as scoring in the Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) results.

"Here, I also sat for SPM and got 1A, 2Bs and 2Cs. I had then received good news that I was accepted to continue my studies at the diploma level in the medical department in the Peninsula later.

"I will move to the prison in the Peninsula for that purpose and also get a full scholarship from the prison, so for me, there is a silver lining in everything that happens," she said.

Meanwhile, PWKK prisoner assistant superintendent Nor Hazlin Mohammed Yunos revealed that that inmates were not alone.

As a matter of fact, countless activities were done together between officers and inmates.

"This zumba competition is one of the activities we do at the prison and maybe if they are talented, when they get out, they can become instructors.

"We will continue with this human rehabilitation programme (PPI) from time to time," she shared.