Sometimes, a second chance changes everything.
Earlier this February, one of our alumni reminded the nation just how powerful education can be. Dr Malik Yatam – who studied with OUM from Bachelor’s all the way to PhD – made headlines following an emotional royal audience that recognised his extraordinary journey.
On 3 February, he met His Royal Highness Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah in a meeting that lasted almost an hour. According to the Selangor Royal Office, this is believed to be the only time the Sultan has personally met a former prisoner granted a royal pardon.
Dr Malik’s story is not an easy one. Born in Sabah, he left school at 13 to support his family. At 14, he travelled to West Malaysia for work. What followed was abuse, exploitation, and a tragic incident that led to his arrest and detention. As a teenager behind bars, he believed his future had disappeared.
But inside prison walls, something shifted. He chose education. He studied independently, completed his SPM and STPM, and later pursued higher education with OUM, supported by an NGO and the Prisons Department. Step by step, qualification by qualification, he rebuilt his life – earning a Bachelor’s degree, a Master’s, and eventually a PhD in Business Administration.
In December 2024, after careful review of his rehabilitation and achievements, he was granted a full royal pardon. Today, at 39, Dr Malik runs a chilli fertigation farm in Batang Kali, Selangor. Even more inspiring? He now provides training and job opportunities to former inmates, helping others restart their lives just as he did.
His message is simple: “We may fall, but as long as we have breath, the opportunity to change is always there.”
At OUM, this belief shapes everything we do. In partnership with the Malaysian Prisons Department, we open pathways for inmates to earn recognised qualifications, rebuild confidence, and prepare to reintegrate into society.
Education isn’t just lectures and assignments. It’s also about access, second chances, and the belief that potential doesn’t expire, even in the toughest circumstances. Transformation takes time, but it begins with opportunity.
Dr Malik’s journey is proof of that. His achievements aren’t just personal milestones, they’re proof that learning can unlock doors no one thought would open again.
