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The second episode of "Inside Maximum Security" was put up online on Jan. 25.

The new docuseries has proven to be a hit with Singaporeans as it provides a never-before-seen look into the maximum security facility at Changi Prison Complex, which is one of Singapore's most tightly-guarded and fortified compounds.

The inmates

The second episode introduced another inmate, who goes by "Iskandar".

Iskandar, 41

The 41-year-old is the fifth and final inmate to be featured.

His latest stint behind bars is Iskandar's fifth incarceration.

Spotlight on recidivism

The tendency for ex-convicts in Singapore to reoffend once released from prison is shockingly high, where at least one in five inmates are back in jail within two years after their release, as revealed by this series.

Recidivism, therefore, is a common thread that ties together these inmates featured, as they have been incarcerated at least four times each for an assortment of offences.

For Iskandar, he was convicted of trafficking 35.31g of diamorphine in April 2012, amongst his other offences of drug possession and consumption.

He is serving a 25-year sentence, when he thought he would hang.

Diamorphine is colloquially known as heroin, which is the same drug that was found on Nagaenthran A/L Dharmalingam, a Malaysian national on death row who is scheduled to appeal against his death sentence.

Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, those found importing more than 15g of diamorphine may be sentenced to the death penalty.

Iskandar narrowly avoided the gallows and was ultimately slapped with an imprisonment term of 25 years and 15 strokes of the cane.

Here's a rundown of the four other inmates in the CNA docuseries:

Boon Keng, 34

Khai, 31

Graceson, 36

Rusdi, 33

Inmates' relationships outside of prison

The second episode delved deeper into the inmates' relationships outside of the prison walls – more specifically how they maintain these bonds outside while they are stuck inside.

Boon Keng

Everyday at 3:30pm, inmates are allowed to spend an hour in their respective dayroom -- the "corridor" area outside of their cells -- where they can interact and play board games with fellow inmates, watch the television, or read newspapers that are two weeks old.

It was during one of these out-of-cell sessions when Boon Keng learnt that his mother had passed on after reading an October 2021 newspaper.

He recounted that he couldn't believe his eyes, and flipped away from the obituary section of the newspaper. He had last spoken to his mother in July 2021.

She had promised to visit him in prison.

Unfortunately, the visit never materialised and Boon Keng regrets not being able to say a final goodbye to his mother.

This personal tragedy, including wanting to be with his daughter again, has steeled his resolve to change for the better.

Boon Keng revealed he is not in contact with his daughter, who is under the sole custody of his ex-wife, who has not visited him in prison.

And it's not for his lack of trying.

Boon Keng said he tried to establish contact with his daughter by writing an e-letter to his estranged wife, but received no response.

Inmates are allowed to send e-letters, spanning 8,000 words long, each month. Additional e-letters come at a price, and are a privilege that has to be redeemed.

However, his girlfriend writes letters to him frequently, which he reads from a tablet that each inmate receives for one-and-a-half hours daily.

Inmates can access their letters through the e-letter application on the tablet, which also houses other educational to recreational applications.

Graceson, his wife and daughter

The episode picked up from where it left off – the cliffhanger ending that hinted at the possibility of a divorce between Graceson and his wife, Elaine Ang.

Ang's identity, like the five inmates and all their family members, was fully captured in this series.

Save for the time when she had to give birth and accompany her eldest daughter to a medical appointment, Ang never once missed a prison visit, Graceson said.

These visits happen twice a month, either through tele-visits or face-to-face visits. Children are allowed during these visits, if they are accompanied by an approved adult visitor, or a social worker.

It was not until Ang missed two consecutive visits when a visibly disappointed Graceson noticed something was amiss in their relationship.

Not long after, he received a letter penned by Ang, where she mentioned that she wanted a divorce.

This was the ultimatum that Ang presented to Graceson, sort of a last resort at getting him to correct his ways and turn over a new leaf, or else, she will leave him.

The couple have a daughter, who was born in 2009, not long after Graceson began serving his previous imprisonment term.

While confiding to prison officer, Sergeant Muhuthan, Graceson said he has not seen his daughter for a long time, and father-and-daughter did not communicate regularly.

Graceson thought his daughter might have forgotten him, and this perhaps explained his surprise after he learnt from his wife that his daughter came to his defence during an incident in school.

Iskandar, his mother and sister

Despite claiming that she will refuse to visit Iskandar if he reoffends, Iskandar's mother never fails to visit her son.

The elderly woman take turns with her daughter, Iskandar's sister, to visit Iskandar, come rain or shine.

Tele-visits are held in lieu of face-to-face visits, which were temporarily suspended as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

These visits are conducted in the tele-visit room, where an inmate speaks to a camera while watching their family members speak to another camera through a monitor.

The tele-visit room for inmates looks vastly different from the one reserved for family members.

Despite not being able to see his family face-to-face, it is clear that Iskandar cherishes the monthly visit with his mother and sister, as the feeling is mutual.

Both women appear thankful for his reduced sentence.

He also tries to lighten the mood with his family members by cracking jokes and avoid mentioning sad topics during these visits.

Khai, his mother and daughter

However, Khai is not as fortunate as his other three inmates.

He is still waiting for someone, either his cousin or his friend, to visit him.

After his father passed away from Stage 4 colon cancer in 2020, all that Khai has left are his daughter and mother, whom he claimed was subsequently taken away from him by his stepbrothers.

Khai's relationship with his stepbrothers is estranged, to say the least.

As a result, his communication with his mother has been limited.

His daughter, on the other hand, is only 12 years old and not old enough to be a cardholder.

A cardholder is a family member of the inmate who needs to be above 21 years old.

A cardholder will be issued a prison visit card, which is required for prison visits, and each inmate has one cardholder.

Khai struggled with the lack of prison visits and communication, and the resulting isolation and loneliness have affected him emotionally.

He has expressed suicidal thoughts more than once.

Alarmed by the turn of events and concerned for Khai's safety, Muhuthan promptly decided to ring up Khai's mother, and arranged for an emergency mother-son phone call, followed by a visit to see the prison psychologist.

Phone calls are reserved for family emergencies, and is subject to approval upon inmates' requests.

Inmates confide in officers

Within prison, inmates can form bonds and confide in prison officers, who are their personal supervisors, if they choose to.

Muhuthan is Graceson's personal supervisor.

The inmate sang high praises of Muhuthan and called him a "very good police officer" whom he trusts and shares "a lot" with.

This includes discussing his worries for his daughter.

Personal supervisors are in charge of an average of 20 inmates.

Inmates can raise the issues that they face to their personal supervisor.

Muhuthan said these issues can be on many different things, with nothing too big or too small.

Take, for instance, an inmate who was upset at the amount of sugar in his daily cup of Teh-O (tea with sugar) and asserted that the beverage tastes 90 per cent of sugar.

Concerned by the potential health implications, the inmate decided to air his grievances with Muhuthan -- and demonstrate quick math.

You can watch the episode here.

Inside Maximum Security's first episode

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Top image screenshot from CNA video