Inmates at Muntok Prison Receive Funeral Rites Training
The atmosphere at Muntok Class IIB Prison on the island of Bangka has taken on a different character during this Ramadan season. Amidst the fasting period, inmates are not only engaging in Quranic recitation but are also participating in funeral rites preparation training.
Under the guidance of experienced instructors, they are learning the proper methods of washing, shrouding, and leading prayers for the deceased in accordance with Islamic teachings.
Head of Muntok Prison, Andri Ferly, emphasised that the training serves as a valuable resource for inmates upon their reintegration into society. Participants who successfully complete the course and demonstrate competency will receive a certificate as proof of their expertise.
“We want these individuals to return to society with tangible skills that their communities need. The certificate demonstrates their abilities meet the standards set by Islamic teachings,” said Ferly on Saturday, 14 March 2026.
Ferly stated that the training aims to dismantle the negative stigma associated with former prisoners. By acquiring the status of funeral rites practitioners, they will eventually hold an important role in their communities.
He explained that funeral preparation represents a final form of respect that people show to one another. “We want society to see these former inmates not as individuals to be avoided, but as persons who can make meaningful contributions,” he said.
Acting Head of the Regional Office of the Directorate General of Corrections for the Bangka Belitung Islands, Gunawan Sutrisnadi, commended the initiative taken by Muntok Prison. He viewed the training as aligned with the motto “Corrections Must Be Beneficial to Society”.
Through such training, he hopes that prison walls no longer serve as barriers to doing good. For him, the corrections system must play a role in providing education and empowerment.
“Through various rehabilitation programmes, skills training, and character development initiatives, we seek to build better individuals and contribute to community development and national progress,” he said.
Gunawan emphasised that the cornerstone of funeral rites is trustworthiness and respect for the deceased. He saw this as an integrity value that is also being instilled in the character development of inmates as they participate in the training.
The training received warm reception from one of the inmates, AO, who expressed emotional connection when practising how to properly drape the white shroud on the deceased, recognising the spiritual significance of the ritual.