New Era University College, Department of Media Studies 2nd Student Graduation Exhibition: "Prison Book"

— Understanding the Stories of Ex-prisoners’ Imprisonment and Rebirth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

 

​

​

KUALA LUMPUR: Third-year students of  Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Chinese Media and Communication Studies from the Department of Media Studies at New Era University College organized the 2nd Cross-Media Project Graduation Exhibition titled "Prison Book" officially opened yesterday at KongsiKL.

 

The theme of this exhibition is "Prison Book" with a focus on exploring the themes of imprisonment and rebirth of “ex-prisoners.” The exhibition aims to allow more people to understand and pay attention to the lives and stories of ex-prisoners, thereby breaking the public's stereotypical impressions of prisoners and reducing biases against them. 

 

The exhibition is open for free to all Malaysian citizens from today until August 13th, and visitors can come to KongsiKL for viewing between 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Subsequently, the exhibition will be relocated to the Ng Ah Choo Multipurpose Hall at New Era University College on August 16th and 17th. Visitors can gain a deeper understanding of the life journey of reformed individuals through immersive experiences and can closely experience the reality of confinement through simulated prison environments.

 

Dr. Liau Siau Chi, the Dean of Faculty of Communication, Cinematic and Perforaming Art of  New Era University College, emphasized in his speech that the Media Studies department has always been dedicated to inspiring students' boundless imagination and providing them with ample freedom to unleash their creativity and explore various resources. It is this open learning environment that enables students to successfully plan and organize an exhibition within a short span of six months.

 

Furthermore, Dr. Liau Siau Chi pointed out that he firmly believes, through six months of careful planning and hard work, the students’ exhibition can create a unique experience for the audience. This experience will allow the viewers to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and hardships faced by those who have undergone rehabilitation. The exhibition will present a genuine and profound perspective, helping the audience to better grasp the intricate emotions associated with reintegrating into society.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As one of the opening guests, Member of Parliament Seputeh, YB Teresa Kok Shuh Sim emphasized in her speech the remarkable significance conveyed by the "Prison Book" exhibition. She sincerely hopes that such a meaningful event can continue to be held and extended into the future.

 

This exhibition has received support from the Selangor Climate Change Committee and the third years students from Diploma in Interior Design, Department of Art and Design. Other than that, the exihibition has also received sponsorship from various industry, such as Sunstrong Entertainment, SOLUTION PACK SDN BHD, MAX PROPERTY AGENCY, KST BUILDERS MELAKA, among others. Therefore, during the event, appreciation certificates were presented to the Selangor state government and sponsors as an expression of gratitude.

 

Teresa Kok Suh Sim：Opportunities Should Be Given to Ex-prisoners

 

While acknowledging this exhibition, YB Teresa Kok Suh Sim emphasized her longstanding commitment to this issue. She went on to share that during her reflection and exploration of the sentiments of death row inmates within prisons, her media team encountered various challenges in locating and interviewing these individuals. As a result, she deeply admires the achievement of students from the Media Studies department in successfully creating a documentary focused on rehabilitated individuals. She further emphasized that even as a parliamentarian, she would similarly face a diverse range of challenges when attempting to address comparable issues.

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Simultaneously, in her address, she conveyed that society generally demonstrates a low level of acceptance towards ex-prisoners. Therefore, she advocated for the provision of more encouragement and opportunities. She provided the example of numerous government officials who had also experienced incarceration, stating, "Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, spent many years in prison and was imprisoned twice, so the act of imprisonment should not be overly magnified."

 

She highlighted that the government actively assists ex-prisoners. In order to facilitate their integration into society, the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, introduced a policy in the "2023 Budget," offering tax exemptions to employers who hire ex-prisoners. Additionally, she mentioned that many non-governmental organizations have been supporting them.

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

#END#

​