Day 1 (THURSDAY)
On 23 Dec 2010, I was ready to face the judge in court 21 and prepared to go prison.
I did not indent to postpone the case. Mainly I don’t want to drag and I don’t want to spend my time in prison during Chinese New year.
During the court, I prepared a 1 ½ page leniency letter and a medical report.
10am – I was called by the court and stand before the judge. It was a lady and the prosecutor read out all my charges and past charges. But in all, I only charge with 2nd time drink driving. The judge did look at my letter and my medical report. When she asked me anything else to say, I replied no. Then, I was sentence to 2 weeks imprisonment, S$5000 fine, and 3 years revoke of all class of license.
I kissed my wife and say goodbye and then I went into a room to sign documents. After signing the documents, I was hand cuffed and escorted to the basement temporary cell. I went into a room and surrender all my belongings and in prison, we use finger prints to acknowledge all forms presenting to us. By then I was without watch to see the time.
I was escorted to a temporary cell where at least 15-18 people are there. Some are waiting for bails; some are going to prison like me. In the cell, there is only one toilet and a separate hole on the wall for drinking water. The people I met in the cell will be the same people who will be going to Changi prison in the evening. These people like me, already received their sentence and waiting to escort to Changi.
At the cell, many inmates started questioning me about my case and likewise I ask them the same question. However I saw some close up and refused to talk. I remember one guy who claimed that his mother accused him and ended up in prison. But he did not talk much but stay along. As for me, I just interact along and try to burn time there.
The lunch was not fantastic. But at that time, I have no choice but to eat. Drinking is using hand taking from the hole at the wall.
The time seems very slow pass in the cell. We keep on asking when they will bring us. The interesting part is that many assumed this and that but without any clues. In the past, most inmates will be put into Queenstown Remain prison. However Changi was very new and now all will be there as Queenstown has tear down for HDB project.
Talking and chatting is a good way to burn time. I hear different stories from different people and how they ended in prison, interesting!
In Surbordinates court cell, you are allowed to make 5 mins phone call. After which, phone calls are not allowed in prison. This you have to request from the prison officer.
In the meantime, a officer will walk around asking individual some questions along with a form. Questions like whether we have tattoo, being part of a secret society and so forth. Hence it is a declaration form. Once we had declared and acknowledged, the prison can charge us if they find out otherwise. So it’s good to declare the truth and hide nothing.
At the late evening, it is time to move. All the cell inmates will move to the room and identify our belongings. After that we were moved to another cell. In those cell, more inmates will be there including the “demand” people who having received their sentences.
Those people will wear brown color shorts. Their hair will remain and mostly you see is foreigners, only few locals.
When everything is done and checked, all are ready to go into the bus. All are being hand and leg cuffed when escort to the bus. I remember walking with those cuffs are not easy and painful. The prison officer might rush us, but for me I walk slowly and enter into the prison bus.
Inside the prison bus, it was very cooling but we cannot see outside. There is no window screen. We are packed in the bus which I think at least 30 plus inmates are inside the bus. When the bus moved, I felt a kind of release and know that this is my 1st day in prison.
Upon arriver in Changi prison, I came to know that I am in cluster B. All inmates went into a hall and the prisoner officer will call name and checked the numbers. In the process, dog will be there to see anyone bring drags and take drags. When everything is clear, now this is the interesting part, the prison officer demand all to take out our clothing and all must be naked. When we strap off everything, we need to put our clothing onto a plastic bag. After which, we were issued a white t-shirt and a dark blue short pants and went into “office” for photo taking and identify our items.
We were given a hand tack and that is our prison number and we must remember that number and cannot broke the tag.
Later, we were checked by a “Baba” who is the staff nurse whether we have any medical conditions. Hence it is good to photo copy all your medical reports and medicine if any and bring in because the prison might not have the same medicine and supply to you.
When everyone is done, we were escorted to our cell. We were divided into 4 people each cell and we can’t chose who we wish to stay with. It was a big cluster and very new. There were 2 levels and the “demand” prisoners will stay below and those who received sentence will stay 2nd floor.
Dinner was served by “cookies”-inmates whom normally served long sentence and served in the prison to burn time. It was very late when we were put in the cell and 6 pcs of bread were served on that night.
The cell – a small room where it’s enough for 4 people to sleep. Totally small with a toilet covered by a 3 ft wall partition. There was a small window to see the sunlight but there was no fan but only air coming from the building, and at nigh its very cool. Also there were 4 boxes for each inmate that consists of soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, cup, spoon, 2 blankets, and a small bow along with a floor straw to sleep. Note that note of this should be broken or loss. The prison can charge you for any damages and losses.
That night I sleep with 2 others Singaporean and a China guy. We didn’t talk much because we were so tired. The light was off after 15 mins of distributing bread, and we all went to sleep.
This was my 1st day in prison.
2nd Day FRIDAY
The lights on was at around 6.30am (I think). We begin to wash up ourselves and ready for breakfast. Before breakfast were served, there is a “Master check” where the prison officer must check each cell everything is fine. All must stand 2 by 2 in the cell and tack in our shirt
The breakfast was served by the cookies and 2 slices of bread with jam along with tea.
After eating, sunlight entered the cell and the lights were off. During that time, we start to talk to one another and get to know one another.
After a few hours, we were called out to fall in at 1st level. All seated in one row according to the prison number. The prison doctor came in. Those who have medical review or condition will call to sit one side. Those who will not, they start standing according to the role and start walking towards the doctor and then let the doctor see clearly one by one. It was a fast one and this is my 1st time I see how the doctor see a group of prisoners.
During the waiting time, an officer will call one by one to a corner and have a short interview. The interview was about whether we are involves in a gang outside, and we have to declare and using our thumbprint to acknowledge the declaration form.
After the medical review, all prison will go for official interview with the head prison officers. We were escorted into a room and one by one will be called and see the officer. During the interview, the officer will tell you the actual date of release and ask you whether you have any complains.
After the interview, we were go to the yard and have hair cut. Those who serve long sentence will 100% shaved. For short sentence they still keep some hair for you but also very short.
After the hair cut, all will go back to the cell and have lunch. Sample food and mostly steam food. Lunch is always served with fruits. But no special drink and all must drink tap water except morning tea or coffee.
After lunch, we were called out again. This time is to take blood test and do x-ray. After everything done, we were asked to return to the cell and that ends a day of activities.
DAY 3 & 4 (SAT & SUN)
For Sat and Sunday, they will be no outdoor activities and doctors. So we stay at the cell 48 hrs within the cell. Most of the time, we talk to one another and we share everything under the sun.
DAY 5 – Day 11 (MONDAY - SUNDAY)
It’s time to check out from Cluster B. All short sentences and foreigners will be called out and fall in. we are heading to Admiralty prison. We will go to the departure office and check our belongings, take photo, and a very short interview (whether any complain or not).
A group of Certise Cisco office will escort us to the bus. Again, we are chained both hands and legs when we walk and all have to squeezed into the bus.
Upon arriver, things are completely different from Changi. It’s a bit older building and the officer are more stern when they talk. We are expected to take off our clothing and sign documents for tattoo and gangster declaration.
You will be interview by 2 high rank officers and one of them is Madam. After the interview, we were moved to a confinement cell for 1 week before move to another cell where u can watch TV and play games. But if you are short sentence, forget about that because by that time we moved, our release date is near.
As I mentioned early about naked, in Admiralty is a norm thing. We are expected to take out our clothing here and there.
The prison number will be called out and here we are to the cell where is much bigger that contain 12 people from different nationality, mostly people who over stay.
At my cell, I have Singaporean, Nigerian, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Malay. 80% of this foreigners will get Rotan at least 4 stock for overstay.
At the cell, you have 2 level of place you can sleep. Many will go for the top because it has plywood. But to me, sleeping the floor is better.
The food served in the cell is likely the same as Cluster B. Due to the big cell; we have to appoint an IC and 3 people to clean the floor and toilet every meal.
The 7 days in the cell is quite routine. Every day we get a change to bath and we do it only outside. We must bear with the taking out our clothing whenever we move out the building either for bath or see doctor. We are not allowed to have yard and only stay in the cell every day.
On Sat and Sunday, we are not allowed to go out at all. Hence the bath will take place inside the building and its better compare outside.
Day 12 –Day 13 (Monday-Tuesday)
After the confinement, we are now moved to another building and the officer there is much nicer compared to the 1st one.
There was no TV and games as I though we would have. I later understand that we will move to another cell for one more weeks before we shift to a cell before we can watch the TV and play games. But to us, not important. We are releasing soon.
After the confinement, at the new cell, we are allow to have 1 hour yard where you can take bath, joking, and so forth. But many people will be bathing because all cell inmates will come down. During the stay, I experience fire drill and check for hair cut.
If you have short sentence, and the officer wants you to cut hair, and u already did in cluster B, explain to the officer your release date and they will excuses you, normally.
Normally the day before you release, you will go for a last interview with the officer. During the interview, they will simply tell you that you will be releasing the next day and see if you have any complains to make.
After which, they will let you see your belongings and ask you whether you wanted them to wash for you.
I had an intimate who does not have any money. So he requested money from the prison and I think he had $2 to take a bus home.
All this interview and seeing doctor will be done in the morning after breakfast.
In normal situation, those who will be release on the next day could not sleep at night. So we talk anything under the sun.
Nevertheless, one more day and I will be fee on day 13.
Day 14 – The day I release
It has never been so good to hear you’re your number and declare by the officer you will be release.
You would have to take your personal box and go down to declare to the officer. If anything lose or damage, they might hold you and get charge. So please protect your items and no give to anyone.
I remember 4 of us were release and we walk towards the guardhouse when we arrive the same place. We will go into the same room where we take out our clothing and wear our own clothing. After which about 1030am, all will be clear and sit on the floor waiting for the head officer to see us and sign the paper. Upon signing the paper and nothing to declare, we were out from prison about 11plus.
The moment we step out prison, hmmmmm….it’s a night mare after all…
Summary
I am sharing all this is to let you know that it is NOT END OF THE world if happens you get the prison sentence, especially short one.
NO one and I say again, NO one love to be inside prison and it is nothing to be proud of. All I can say it’s an experience where I will never forget for the rest of my life,
I hope to bring positive side of my story to release the stress of those who might sentence to prison.
Shalom
