Robbed of dreams, ex-convict sets academic record behind bars

MALAYSIANSKINI | Behind the thick, towering concrete walls of Kajang Prison, 14-year-old Malik Yatam began serving a sentence in 2001 without an end date - a fate he never imagined for himself.

But now, at 39, Malik (above) is a free man. Detained under the pleasure of the ruler, he could only be released through a royal pardon, which was granted in December 2024 in conjunction with Selangor ruler, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah's birthday.

On Feb 4 this year, Malik made headlines after he was granted an audience with the ruler for his achievement as the first inmate in Malaysia to earn a doctorate while serving a prison sentence.

In an interview with Malaysiakini, Malik shared how freedom was not his only motivation to pursue excellence in education, but a vision to better himself.

Reminiscing his past, Malik’s life was consumed by uncertainty.

Born in Sabah, Malik left school and his home state at the age of 14, hoping to lift his family out of poverty.

Lured by dreams of a stable job as a restaurant cook in Selangor, Malik’s “new life” turned out to be the start of a new nightmare.

At the restaurant, Malik faced relentless abuse. Insults and curses became his daily “meals”, with physical blows served as “side dishes”. Despite the long hours he worked, Malik claimed he was never paid his salary.

“I was beaten and scolded by my employer when I tried to run away for the second time.

“I was only trying to defend myself, but that action caused my employer’s death,” he said.

The incident marked the beginning of what would be 24 years behind bars, decades that Malik, now also known as Murad, described as times filled with darkness and despair.

“Serving a prison sentence at a young age made me feel empty and ‘dead’; the world felt dark. There was no thought of continuing my studies,” he said.

His days were confined by iron bars that did not just keep him locked away from the outside world, but also robbed him of dreams that had never been given the chance to materialise.

Light in the darkness

Yet within those same walls, something unexpected happened. A resolve emerged - a decision to rewrite his fate through the only avenue left to him: education.

This came after he saw another juvenile continuing his studies despite being incarcerated.

From that moment, Malik said, the desire to change his fate came back.

However, Malik’s academic journey did not come easily. He began his academic journey with no formal classes, no teachers, and no support, as there was no schooling system in place at Kajang Prison at the time.

“Prison schooling back then only existed at Henry Gurney School,” he said, adding that even stationery was initially prohibited for security reasons.

Those studying were only allowed to use an empty cell as a temporary classroom - under strict supervision.

“We didn’t have teachers, so we had to study on our own. Books were limited, so we took turns. For example, I had to wait for a friend to finish before I could use the book.

“At first, we weren’t even allowed to hold pencils,” he said, adding that the rules were only relaxed once prison authorities were convinced of their determination.

Another challenge for inmates who wished to study was the noisy cell environment, as well as having to put up with ridicule from some fellow prisoners who mocked their efforts.

But for a better future, Malik chose to endure, turning those words into fuel for motivation.

“When I asked them to keep quiet, they would mock me. If you can't control your emotions, it could easily lead to fights,” he said.

Another problem Malik faced was the absence of a guardian to sign his official documents.

However, a friend’s father stepped forward as a foster parent, enabling him to sit for his SPM.

SPM at age 21

Finally, in 2006, Malik sat for SPM as a private candidate at 21. A year later, he went further by sitting for Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM).

After passing selection screenings and qualification tests, he went on to pursue a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and eventually a doctorate in business administration through a collaboration programme with Open University Malaysia (OUM).

Elaborating, Malik said studying in prison required immense discipline. Every challenge was complex, particularly access to information.

“The internet provided was limited to six hours only, divided across three days a week.

“The internet speed was another issue. To download a single academic journal article, I sometimes had to wait up to an hour.

“Some websites, like social media, were completely blocked,” he said.

To obtain reference materials, Malik would list journal titles for his supervisor, Zahid Osman, to bring in during face-to-face learning sessions in prison.

The greatest challenge, however, was financial. His family could not afford the costs, and communication with them was rare.

“During my 24 years in prison, I only met my family three times,” he said.

Zakat, NGO support

Among the sources that helped cover costs was the zakat assistance he received after converting to Islam in 2002. That support enabled him to sit for SPM and STPM.

While pursuing university studies, financial problems resurfaced, and he was nearly dismissed for failing to pay tuition fees.

Malik then wrote letters of appeal seeking assistance from NGOs and the public.

“I told them I truly wanted to study,” he said.

His efforts bore fruit when public donations covered the first two years of his tuition.

For the third and fourth years, he and several other prospects applied for a conditional scholarship from the university, which was approved on the condition that they would repay it if they failed their examinations.

One point to note is that for his master’s degree, it was fully funded by a social activist and Yayasan Chow Kit founder Hartini Zainuddin after she read his story on social media.

And for his doctorate, OUM offered a 90 percent scholarship, while Malik had to find the remaining funds himself.

On what drove him into academics, Malik said his motivation to study was not solely for freedom.

“Of course, I want to be free, but that is not my only motivation to keep studying.

“I don’t even know whether I will be released or not, but I planted this in my heart: even if I never leave prison, this knowledge is what I’ll carry into the hereafter,” he said.

Following the royal pardon, Malik has since returned to his family in Sabah and is now an agricultural entrepreneur seeking to help former inmates through his company, Hikmas Enterprise.

MALAYSIANSKINI is a series on Malaysians you should know.

Mum's gambit: Autistic boy gains confidence through street chess

From Africa to Asia, 'adventure rider' Anita revs around the world

From go-karts to F1 dreams: Sophia Zara is the future of racing

'444km at 44': A runner’s birthday oath

106 countries on two wheels: A retiree’s goal to combat climate change

Ex-producer finds ‘wheel’ power to make zero-waste lifestyle easier

From wreckage to gold: Sivasangari's transformative trek in pro-squash

From make-believe spaceships to trailblazing M'sia's space trajectory

Blind environmentalist lives out passion to protect nature

Sarawakian musician on mission to revive fading ethnic sounds