In an emotional union, Malik Yatam, the country’s first former inmate to obtain a doctorate while incarcerated, was granted an audience with Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, less than a year after receiving a full royal pardon.
The audience, which lasted almost an hour, marked the first time the monarch had met a former inmate whom he had granted clemency to.
In a Facebook posting today, the Selangor Royal Office said that Malik was released on Dec 11, 2024, after spending 24 years detained at the pleasure of the ruler, a sentence without a fixed release date imposed, as he was under 18 at the time of his offence.
Malik was sentenced to jail after murdering his employer at that time.
"Having been incarcerated since 2001 at the age of 14, Dr Malik, now 39, successfully obtained a PhD in business administration through his efforts to further his studies while serving his sentence at Kajang Prison.
"During the audience, His Royal Highness graciously enquired about Malik’s life since his release and his plans for the future.
"His Royal Highness was deeply moved by Malik’s life journey and felt that he deserved a second chance," the posting read.
Photos published on the Facebook page captured an emotional Malik embracing the monarch and kissing his hands in a show of gratitude.
The Selangor Royal Office said that the decision to grant the pardon, made in conjunction with Sultan Sharafuddin's birthday in 2024, followed careful consideration of all factors presented at the Pardons Board meeting on Nov 24, 2024.
Before the meeting ended, Sultan Sharafuddin also advised Malik to continue upholding his family’s good name and to remain steadfast in improving his standard of living, the posting said. - Mkini
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