One of the reasons ex-offenders end up back in prison is because they don t feel they will ever be given a fair shot in society. Photo: Unsplash/Tim Mossholder
It has been 19 years since Pastor Ignatius Wong was last released from prison. He’d been in an out of prison since 1999, mostly because he could never find his footing each time he was released. Thankfully, he came into contact with a mentor at a rehabilitation centre in Chemor, Perak, who believed in him and Wong has never looked back since. He obtained his Bachelor in Theology and for close to two decades now, has made it his life’s mission to help struggling ex-convicts build a life for themselves upon their release.
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HE was a top student.
Upon completing secondary school, he was received by an institute of higher learning to embark on foundation in law. His parents, a fisherman and a food stall vendor from a small coastal village in Malaysia, were proud of and had high hopes for their bright son. With the good grades he consistently churned out, his future seemed sealed.
Then things took an about turn. Ashraf (not his real name), then 18, was arrested. His parents were shocked. Even the judge he stood before in court couldn’t believe how a student who had always excelled in school was now being accused of rape.