Malaysian prisoners helping to produce COVID-19 PPE
Penor Prison inmates making PPE
Image adapted from: Bernama
By now, most Malaysians would’ve had first-hand experience with seeing empty shelves when looking for protective necessities like face masks and sanitiser thanks to the COVID-19 plight. But with resources now becoming scarce, even frontliners like medical staff are suffering from a shortage of protective gear, with some having to DIY it themselves.
Thankfully, the lads from Penor Prison in Pahang have stepped in to help our medical personnel out by increasing the production of personal protective equipment (PPE). And they’re reportedly happy doing it, so they can give back to society.
20 units of protective gear produced each day
According to Bernama, Penor Prison’s workshop first began producing PPE units on 27th March 2020. Each day, the inmates produce about 20 PPE units which are then distributed to the Pahang state health department. The workshop continues to operate even on weekends to keep up with the demand as there has been a continuous increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Image adapted from: Bernama
The 18 inmates work from 9AM to 5PM and are assigned to 3 different stations to ensure a seamless process. They spend the bulk of their time measuring, cutting, and stitching the special PPE material. The workshop’s supervisor has also chipped in to say that the inmates were quick to pick up the methods and process as they have done similar work on uniforms before.
Image adapted from: Bernama
Inmates happy to contribute to Malaysia’s plight
A handful of inmates shared their thoughts about producing protective gear for frontliners and medical personnel who have been working around the clock to curb the COVID-19 outbreak.
Image credit: Noor Hisham Abdullah
One of them said that he was grateful for the opportunity as he could contribute to society. Another man expressed his sincere hopes that his contributions would ease the struggle faced by medical personnel and protect them while they’re carrying out their duties.
Pahang prisoners making protective gear for frontliners
We’re heartened to see Malaysians from all backgrounds come together to contribute in whatever way they can in the country’s mission to eradicate COVID-19. As long as we continue to put up a unified front, it’ll only be a matter of time before the MCO and COVID-19 outbreak tides over.
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