KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 — Inside the ring, he is simply another Muay Thai athlete, carrying the same responsibility as his teammates.
Every punch and kick is delivered with a single purpose, to give his all for Malaysia, with the Jalur Gemilang proudly emblazoned across his chest.
Yet beneath the national jersey, Ahyan, 20, is unlike most athletes who rise through sports schools or elite training academies before representing the country on the international stage.
When competitions end, he does not return home to his family or resume training at a national sports complex. Instead, he boards a bus back to Sekolah Henry Gurney Telok Mas in Melaka.
Ahyan is one of two trainees from the juvenile rehabilitation institution selected to represent Malaysia at the World Muay Thai Championships, held in Kuala Lumpur last June.
They are also the first trainees from Sekolah Henry Gurney Telok Mas to earn national athlete status.
Their achievement, however, is far from an isolated success story.
Since 2018, trainees from the school have represented Melaka at every edition of the Malaysia Games (Sukma), demonstrating that the institution is more than a place for the rehabilitation of juvenile offenders. It has also become a platform where young lives are rebuilt and given the opportunity to contribute positively to society.
Finding hope in the ring
For Ahyan (not his real name), wearing the national colours was something he never imagined possible.
“Honestly, I couldn’t believe it. I never thought someone from Sekolah Henry Gurney could represent Malaysia when there are so many better Muay Thai athletes outside,” he told Bernama.
His journey into the Thai martial art only began after he was admitted to the institution at the age of 17.
Unlike athletes who train with state-of-the-art facilities and specialised coaching, Ahyan honed his skills using only the modest equipment available at the school, under the guidance of wardens and external coaches.
Even so, his natural talent quickly emerged, and with it grew a passion for the sport.
More importantly, Muay Thai transformed not only his physical abilities but also his outlook on life.
“Every time I competed outside, I could picture the future I wanted for myself.
“I used to drift through life without direction, but sports taught me discipline,” said Ahyan, who began representing the school at the age of 18.
Erasing the stigma
For Ahyan, sports has become far more than a pursuit of medals.
It has taught him the value of time, discipline and self-belief, convincing him that despite his past mistakes, he still has the opportunity to rebuild his future.
When asked about the lowest point in his life, he did not speak about the sentence he is serving.
Instead, he spoke of disappointing the family who had always stood by him.
“I brought shame to my family. This is the only way I can make them proud again,” he said.
Today, every time he steps into the ring, he fights for a purpose greater than victory.
He wants to prove that young people who have made mistakes are still capable of succeeding.
“I want to show people my talent. Society may look down on young offenders like us, but I want to prove that we can succeed just like everyone else. The only difference is that others are outside, while I’m inside a rehabilitation institution.”
Ironically, the sweetest moment of his sporting journey was not learning he had been selected for the national team.
Instead, it was winning a tournament in Johor early in his Muay Thai career.
“That was the moment I made my family proud.
“I told my mother, ‘Maybe I’m not good enough in school to make you proud, but I’ll do my best in something I truly love.’
“She replied, ‘It’s okay... you’ve already made it.’“
The victory became even more meaningful because his family travelled to support him during the competition.
For Ahyan, it was the first time he truly felt that his efforts to turn his life around had been recognised by the person he loves most — his mother.
A second chance
Ahyan is not the only trainee whose life has been transformed through sports.
Akil, 21, entered Sekolah Henry Gurney Telok Mas at 17 and discovered Muay Thai soon afterwards.
Before arriving at the institution, he had never been actively involved in sports.
“When I came here, I realised sports could lead me towards a better life,” he said, explaining that he chose Muay Thai because he was drawn to the martial art.
That decision would eventually earn him a place in Malaysia’s team for the World Muay Thai Championships, held at Dataran Merdeka from June 16 to 26.
Like Ahyan, Akil struggled to believe the news.
“I thought they were joking. Even when my coach told me I had been selected to represent Malaysia, I still couldn’t believe it.”
For him, however, wearing the national jersey is only the beginning.
More important is proving that people who have lost their way are still capable of changing.
“I want to prove that young offenders can succeed. Even if someone has made mistakes, nothing should stop them from achieving success.”
Describing his second chance as his last opportunity to change, Akil is determined not to waste it.
“If I make another mistake, there may not be another chance. This is my final opportunity to truly change.”
From Henry Gurney to world champion
The transformation experienced by Ahyan and Akil is not merely an aspiration.
It has already been realised by former trainee Muhammad Hairi Mahmad, 26, better known as Harry, who went on to become a world champion.
Looking back, Harry said being detained as a teenager ultimately became one of the greatest blessings in his life.
“I’m grateful I was arrested and sent to Sekolah Henry Gurney. Otherwise, I don’t know where my life would have ended up.
“That’s where I learned discipline, respect for my coaches, obedience and determination to achieve my goals,” he said.
Muay Thai became the turning point that changed everything.
After first representing the Federal Territories, Harry earned a place in the Malaysian team before winning the 2022 World Youth Muay Thai Championships in Abu Dhabi, becoming one of the institution’s most successful former trainees.
“When I won, I felt grateful, happy and deeply moved.
“It’s not easy to compete overseas and return home with a medal. It’s an experience I’ll never forget.”
Stigma gives way to acceptance
Success also transformed the way others viewed him.
The Setiu, Terengganu-born athlete admitted that after his release, he initially faced prejudice from some members of his community.
“At first, people looked at me differently.
“But after appearing on television, being featured in newspapers and competing regularly, they gradually accepted me.
“Sometimes when I eat at local restaurants, people won’t even let me pay. They treat me like everyone else,” said Harry, who now works as a Muay Thai coach at a gym in Damansara.
Despite rebuilding his life, he has never hidden his past.
“I’m not ashamed. Sekolah Henry Gurney is the place that changed my life.”
The role of society
Meanwhile, Malaysian Muaythai Association general manager Saifulnizam Mohd Shahar said Harry’s story is only one example of how former Henry Gurney trainees have rebuilt their lives through sports.
More encouragingly, several former trainees have continued competing after their release, with some emerging as champions at various levels.
He said the association actively encourages former trainees to join Muay Thai clubs nationwide through its state affiliates, enabling them to continue developing as athletes.
However, he stressed that successful rehabilitation depends not only on discipline cultivated within the institution but equally on society’s willingness to accept them once they return.
“There is no absolute guarantee that every trainee will stay on the right path,” he said.
“But what matters most is society itself. If former Henry Gurney trainees continue to be rejected and isolated, it becomes much harder for them to reintegrate, and the risk of reoffending becomes much higher.” — Bernama
