A visit to Pudu Jail

This is something fresh from 13 hours ago.

Yesterday as I was walking along Jalan (street of) Pudu towards the Berjaya Megamall in Kuala Lumpur I saw an opening leading into one of the city's most well-known landmark.

I'm talking about the now-defunct Pudu Jail.

For a century it used to house some of the most notorious criminals in Malaysia, robbers, murderers, even practitioners of black magic gone awfully awry!

It was also the place where very serious offenders were executed in the gallows.

In 1996 the place was closed to make way for the more modern Sungai Buloh prison some 20-30 km away. A portion of the inmates were transported to Kajang prison also about 20-30 km from here but on the opposite direction out of Kuala Lumpur.

In 1997 Pudu Jail was turned into a museum. That was the first-time the public got to see what's inside, guided by people who knew the way such as prison wardens of course.

But that happened only for a short while. The area here being situated at a very prime part of the city was earmarked for development and the jail was intended to be demolished.

However for reasons unclear the main buildings still stood until today albeit ruined and there was I taking a solo personal tour down its corridors.

Frankly I did felt a bit scared when I first stepped inside the main building.

For the record when I took the stairs up I was actually walking into the darker parts. Just look at this room...

You can't see much without flash.

Imagine yourself doing what I did then. Sitting alone in the dark, on a bed which used to house God knows what sort of criminals...

Bear in mind Pudu Jail has a nasty reputation for being haunted. And I can feel many presence...

That could explain why it is still not demolished or developed. For haunted places tend to drive away prospective developers...

Oh. Here I was looking at the much brighter main right corridor.

I could take clear pictures of the rooms without flash.

And I could ponder better from inside.

Walking to the end of the corridor I saw a room with elaborate Arabic writings on the wall.

I don't know what it was for. What I noticed is the room is twice bigger than the others. What came to mind is this could either be the special room for a last 'luxury' night before one is put to death... or it is the designated place to strip black magic practioners off their power so that they won't be a threat to the wardens and other inmates.