What is daily life in prison actually like? A woman who said she was previously held at a prison in Tawau, Sabah, has been answering questions from curious Malaysians online.
Sharing on Threads, she described the routines, supplies and restrictions she experienced. She also clarified that her case involved a document issue and said she was not imprisoned for a criminal offence.
Her replies offer a look at one person’s experience at one facility, rather than a guide to how every Malaysian prison operates.
What could she bring in?
The conversation began when someone asked whether skincare products were allowed in prison. Her answer was no.
According to her, soap and shampoo were supplied on a schedule. She described the soap as a small bar and said toothbrushes were shortened. Deodorant was not available to her either, though she felt the supplied soap helped.
Family members who visited could buy certain necessities through the prison cooperative, she said. These included soap, shampoo, toothpaste, bras and underwear, along with some snacks and drink mixes.
She described a limit of RM150 a month for purchases made by visiting family members. She stressed that this was not an allowance paid to prisoners. Some inmates received fewer supplies, she said, because they had no visitors or their families could not afford to buy them anything.
She also said clothing was limited and had to be washed regularly.
Meals, ahowers and sleep
In response to another reader, she said she showered twice a day, once early in the morning and again in the evening. She described lunch and dinner as the two main meals, with breakfast and an afternoon refreshment also provided.
The food varied, she said. Some days it tasted good; on others, it was bland or too salty.
As for sleeping arrangements, she said mattresses and beds were available. When there were not enough beds, a mattress would be laid on the cement floor.
The cell had no fan, according to her. She described mornings as manageable, afternoons as hot until evening, and nights as very cold.
Were the cells clean?
One commenter asked whether the prison was dirty. She said inmates at the facility took turns cleaning their cells and toilets every day.
She added that leftover food could not be left behind and that wardens checked the area after cleaning. Based on what she experienced, she did not consider the cells dirty.
She also described a routine for menstrual products. At her facility, she said, inmates had to ask a warden for a pad each time they needed one because they could not keep pads in the cell. She was careful to say she did not know whether the same arrangement applied elsewhere.
What happened if someone fell sick?
She said wardens asked each morning whether anyone was ill. Those who needed help could be taken to the prison clinic, where medication was given on schedule.
According to her, inmates with hospital appointments could also be taken there by van, with their hands cuffed during the journey.
There were activities too. She recalled taking part in a singing competition and said religious classes and reading material were available.
At her cell, she said, there were copies of the Quran, Yasin booklets and a Bible. She said inmates were not allowed to keep ordinary books, paper, pens or pencils in the cell.
Small acts of help from cellmates
Although one reader asked about bullying, she said inmates could report it to wardens. She also spoke about the support she received from other women sharing her cell.
If someone ran out of soap, a cellmate might lend them some, she said. She recalled buying extra soap, shampoo and toothpaste through a family visit so she could share them with inmates who received no visits.
Living together made them feel like a family, she said, especially when they saw others going without basic supplies.
‘It’s not something to be proud of’
The woman told readers she was sharing her experience to answer their questions and help others understand what life inside was like. She also asked them not to romanticise it.
She said the religious learning and time to reflect had value to her, but much of the experience was difficult. Since her release, she said, she has married and begun working as an affiliate. Finding work can depend on the employer, she added.
Her account is a personal description of her time at the Tawau facility. Several details, including what inmates could keep in their cells and how supplies were distributed, were described by her as specific to where she was held.
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