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The Star
a day ago
- The Star
From jail to a PhD
History was made at the Open University Malaysia (OUM) 29th Convocation when a former inmate received his doctorate from the varsity's pro chancellor Tan Sri Azman Hashim. The first graduate to complete his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) studies behind bars, his journey was nothing short of remarkable. Detained at Kajang Prison in 2001 when he was just 14, M.Y.* walked proudly across the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur stage to receive his hard-earned PhD in Business Administration scroll on May 3. The 38-year-old, who was held under Tahanan Limpah Sultan, was illiterate when he first arrived in prison. Undeterred, he taught himself the basics, sat for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) exams, and began his higher education with OUM in 2009. Over 16 years, he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration, followed by a Masters in Business Administration (MBA), and eventually completed his PhD – all while behind bars. He was granted a royal pardon by the Sultan of Selangor last December. During the convocation, two senior learners were honoured with the Lifelong Learning Award. Yusof Haron, 73, from Perak, earned a Master of Islamic Studies, while Tang Tung Khing, 79, from Sibu, completed a Bachelor of Communication with honours – proving that the pursuit of knowledge knows no age limit. Another standout graduate, Gomathy Sankaran – a Science teacher at SJK(T) Kangkar Pulai in Johor Baru – received her Doctor of Education. With 87 inventions to her name, including herbal hair oil, soap, serum, candles, coffee, as well as organic fertiliser and pesticides, she has won over 220 local and international awards from countries like Canada, Iran, India, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong. Held from May 3 to 7, the 29th Convocation of OUM – a university known for its online programmes tailored for working adults – saw a total of 7,915 graduates receive their scrolls across 10 sessions. Among them were three Kajang Prison inmates, who earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) and Diplomas in Management – a powerful reminder of education's reach beyond bars. *Note: Pseudonym used to protect the privacy of the graduate
New Straits Times
04-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Three Kajang Prison inmates receive degree, diploma scrolls
KUALA LUMPUR: Three Open University Malaysia (OUM) students who received their degree and diploma scrolls today proved that incarceration is not an excuse for abandoning one's education. Siva, Shankar and Suresh (not their real names), inmates at Kajang Prison, were among the graduates celebrated at OUM's 29th Convocation Ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre, here. Suresh, 31, who has been serving a life sentence since 2011 at the age of 17 as a Tahanan Limpah Sultan (LTS), began his educational journey in prison in 2014 with the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, which he passed with flying colours. "I thought my future was over. But after sitting for the SPM at Sekolah Integriti Kajang, I was one of the top students… and was offered to pursue a Diploma in Business Management at OUM, fully sponsored by the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra)," he told reporters after the convocation ceremony. Pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration, Suresh hopes this achievement will inspire other inmates to continue seeking knowledge. Meanwhile, Shankar, 34, who earned a Diploma in Business Management, said prison's strict rules and unique learning environment did not deter him from achieving academic success. "Suresh and I began our studies in 2019, but the Covid-19 pandemic forced us to postpone them for a year and a half. When classes resumed, everything was conducted online. "There were many challenges, but the (prison) officers and lecturers were extremely helpful. They provided various things to facilitate our studies, such as computers, internet access, and learning materials," he said, adding that he is also pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration. Shankar, who has been in prison since 2018, aspires to start a business once he completes the remaining eight months of his sentence. Meanwhile, Siva, 36, who has been serving an 18-year prison sentence since 2010, said that his achievement of graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration with Honours is due to continuous support from his family, prison officers, and lecturers. "I was pursuing diploma studies outside, but didn't complete them. After coming here, I found out that there was an opportunity to continue studying. My family encouraged me, so I resumed my studies. "Once I completed that, I went on to finish my degree and that motivated me to pursue a master's degree in Business Administration," he added.
The Sun
04-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
3 Kajang inmates achieve academic success
KUALA LUMPUR: Three Open University Malaysia (OUM) students who received their degree and diploma scrolls today proved that incarceration is not an excuse for abandoning one's education. Siva, Shankar and Suresh (not their real names), inmates at Kajang Prison, were among the graduates celebrated at OUM's 29th Convocation Ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre, here. Suresh, 31, who has been serving a life sentence since 2011 at the age of 17 as a Tahanan Limpah Sultan (LTS), began his educational journey in prison in 2014 with the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, which he passed with flying colours. 'I thought my future was over. But after sitting for the SPM at Sekolah Integriti Kajang, I was one of the top students... and was offered to pursue a Diploma in Business Management at OUM, fully sponsored by the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA),' he told reporters after the convocation ceremony. Pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration, Suresh hopes this achievement will inspire other inmates to continue seeking knowledge. Meanwhile, Shankar, 34, who earned a Diploma in Business Management, said prison's strict rules and unique learning environment did not deter him from achieving academic success. 'Suresh and I began our studies in 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to postpone them for a year and a half. When classes resumed, everything was conducted online. 'There were many challenges, but the (prison) officers and lecturers were extremely helpful. They provided various things to facilitate our studies such as computers, internet access, and learning materials,' he said, adding that he is also pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration. Shankar, who has been in prison since 2018, aspires to start a business once he completes the remaining eight months of his sentence. Meanwhile, Siva, 36, who has been serving an 18-year prison sentence since 2010, said that his achievement of graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration with Honours is due to continuous support from his family, prison officers, and lecturers. 'I was pursuing diploma studies outside, but didn't complete them. After coming here, I found out that there was an opportunity to continue studying. My family encouraged me to take it up, so I resumed my studies. 'Once I completed that, I went on to finish my degree and that motivated me to pursue a master's degree in Business Administration,' he added. He also expressed his gratitude to all the officers for helping him find materials to finish his assignments on time.
The Sun
04-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Three Kajang inmates achieve academic success
KUALA LUMPUR: Three Open University Malaysia (OUM) students who received their degree and diploma scrolls today proved that incarceration is not an excuse for abandoning one's education. Siva, Shankar and Suresh (not their real names), inmates at Kajang Prison, were among the graduates celebrated at OUM's 29th Convocation Ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre, here. Suresh, 31, who has been serving a life sentence since 2011 at the age of 17 as a Tahanan Limpah Sultan (LTS), began his educational journey in prison in 2014 with the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, which he passed with flying colours. 'I thought my future was over. But after sitting for the SPM at Sekolah Integriti Kajang, I was one of the top students... and was offered to pursue a Diploma in Business Management at OUM, fully sponsored by the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA),' he told reporters after the convocation ceremony. Pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration, Suresh hopes this achievement will inspire other inmates to continue seeking knowledge. Meanwhile, Shankar, 34, who earned a Diploma in Business Management, said prison's strict rules and unique learning environment did not deter him from achieving academic success. 'Suresh and I began our studies in 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to postpone them for a year and a half. When classes resumed, everything was conducted online. 'There were many challenges, but the (prison) officers and lecturers were extremely helpful. They provided various things to facilitate our studies such as computers, internet access, and learning materials,' he said, adding that he is also pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration. Shankar, who has been in prison since 2018, aspires to start a business once he completes the remaining eight months of his sentence. Meanwhile, Siva, 36, who has been serving an 18-year prison sentence since 2010, said that his achievement of graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration with Honours is due to continuous support from his family, prison officers, and lecturers. 'I was pursuing diploma studies outside, but didn't complete them. After coming here, I found out that there was an opportunity to continue studying. My family encouraged me to take it up, so I resumed my studies. 'Once I completed that, I went on to finish my degree and that motivated me to pursue a master's degree in Business Administration,' he added. He also expressed his gratitude to all the officers for helping him find materials to finish his assignments on time.
Barnama
04-05-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Three Kajang Inmates Achieve Academic Success
KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 (Bernama) -- Three Open University Malaysia (OUM) students who received their degree and diploma scrolls today proved that incarceration is not an excuse for abandoning one's education. Siva, Shankar and Suresh (not their real names), inmates at Kajang Prison, were among the graduates celebrated at OUM's 29th Convocation Ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre, here. Suresh, 31, who has been serving a life sentence since 2011 at the age of 17 as a Tahanan Limpah Sultan (LTS), began his educational journey in prison in 2014 with the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, which he passed with flying colours. 'I thought my future was over. But after sitting for the SPM at Sekolah Integriti Kajang, I was one of the top students… and was offered to pursue a Diploma in Business Management at OUM, fully sponsored by the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA),' he told reporters after the convocation ceremony. Pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration, Suresh hopes this achievement will inspire other inmates to continue seeking knowledge. Meanwhile, Shankar, 34, who earned a Diploma in Business Management, said prison's strict rules and unique learning environment did not deter him from achieving academic success. 'Suresh and I began our studies in 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to postpone them for a year and a half. When classes resumed, everything was conducted online. 'There were many challenges, but the (prison) officers and lecturers were extremely helpful. They provided various things to facilitate our studies such as computers, internet access, and learning materials,' he said, adding that he is also pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration. Shankar, who has been in prison since 2018, aspires to start a business once he completes the remaining eight months of his sentence.
