Pubdate: Sat, 08 Jan 2005
Source: Malay Mail (Malaysia)
Copyright: 2005 The New Straits Times Press
Contact:  http://www.mmail.com.my/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3834
Author: Stephen Ng
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

HELPING HANDS: HALFWAY HOUSE THAT CARES FOR THE REJECTED

Wrong company is to be blamed when a prisoner or a dadah addict is
released after serving his prison sentence, and he goes back to his
old ways in the first six months.

While many of them want to turn over a new leaf, some of them face
rejection from their own family members because of the crimes that
they had committed.

The stigma of being a criminal stays for a long time, and many of
these ex-prisoners have no place to turn to but their old friends who
eventually influence them to go back to their old habits.

As a half-way house, Rumah Petros was set up by Malaysian CARE in 1990
under its prison, AIDS and dadah rehabilitation services. Residents
(referring to the people living in this home) are given a place to
stay until they get a job or given a place at a rehabilitation centre.

According to Rumah Petros's coordinator, Kenneth Wong, the home has
expanded to three branches now. "We have one home for the men, and a
second one for the women. The third home is our Drop-In-Centre, which
provides counselling to dadah addicts," he said.

"We are looking for people who are willing to donate either in cash or
kind. We need foodstuff, clothing, toiletries and volunteers who can
provide skills training, such as carpentry, to the residents."

Today, many of them like Sam Hooi (not his real name) have found a new
lease of life. Sam, 31, is the youngest in his family. At the age of
14, he was already involved in a secret society in his hometown in
Pahang.

"We were actively recruiting members for our society," he said.
"Immediately after Form Five, I became a drug pusher to support
myself. I was taking morphine and heroine from as young as 19 years
old until I was caught and put in a Serenti Centre for
rehabilitation."

Looking back, Sam, now a staff member of Rumah Petros, is thankful
that staff of Malaysian CARE had reached out to him after he was
released from prison in 2002. "Now, I am working hard to help people
like me who want to turn over a new leaf," he said. "I regret mixing
with the wrong company when I was younger. I have wasted many years of
my life."

Currently, there are 13 residents at Rumah Petros. Pastor Pax Tan, who
is Malaysian CARE's senior director of Prison, Drugs and AIDS, said
operational expenses for the home can run up to about RM25,000 a
month. "We are now running at a deficit, which we hope to recover
from," he said.

Besides taking care of the ex-prisoners and ex-drug addicts, Tan said,
the home also provides special assistance to the children of prisoners
and drug addicts.

"Every year, before the school term begins, we arrange for the
children to get their uniforms and stationery. These children need the
support, especially when their parents fail to provide them with the
bare necessities," he said. "We want to reunite the whole family."

All donations to Rumah Petros are tax-exempted. Cheques are to be
issued payable to "Malaysian CARE" and sent to Rumah Petros, 9 & 11
Jalan Pisang, 3 1/2 Mile, Off Jalan Kelang Lama, 58000 Kuala Lumpur.
The home's contact numbers are (03) 7981-9857/ 7981-2944.
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MAP posted-by: Tom