KUALA LUMPUR: The Sultan of Selangor has granted pardons to many convicts, though the Ruler has never met any of them. One exception is Dr Malik Yatam, the country’s first inmate to earn a PhD while serving a prison sentence. He was granted a royal pardon on Dec 11, 2024, in conjunction with the Sultan’s birthday. Today, the now 39-year-old Sabahan runs a chilli farm in Selangor with several former convicts as his partners. Tears flowed as he hugged His Royal Highness, who had promised to sponsor Malik’s umrah trip with his wife, a civil servant.

Source: The Star February 05, 2026 02:49 UTC