The Johor religious school where an 11-year-old student had died allegedly due to abuse has defended the hiring of the suspect, an assistant warden with a prison record.

Madrasah Tahfiz Al-Jauhar in Kota Tinggi, Johor, in a statement today said they were aware of the suspect's past but wanted to give the former convict a second chance.

"He admitted his past after he was accepted for the job. And this made us believe that he was sincere in changing his life,” said the school.