KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 — Putrajaya’s generosity towards a Malaysian convicted for child pornography in the UK has stirred anger among local Internet users who questioned the lengths government agencies were going to welcome him back to the country.

The most recent trigger was the announcement by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) that it will allow the jailed Nur Fitri Azmeer Nordin to continue his studies at any of its institutions, despite previously saying it “viewed seriously” offences committed by those under its scholarships.

MARA claimed that it would extend the same “second chance” to any of those it sponsors.

This also comes after Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal yesterday said his ministry is considering appealing Nur Fitri’s five-year sentence for possessing thousands of videos and photographs depicting various levels of sexual activity with minors.

The moves have been received angrily on social media, with users questioning the magnanimity given the gravity of purported “math whiz” Nur Fitri’s crime.

“Why not just hire him as a maths teacher and provide him the perfect playground to act out his perverted rituals?” Facebook user Chandra Kirana Dewi Renganayar posted.

“The question is, is it necessary? Should we give someone like this a chance?” asked another user, Nabilah Sabri, on Facebook.

Lawyer Dheeraj Bhar posted: “Moral of the story: Be a perv abroad, get jailed in a foreign jurisdiction, serve your time there, then come to Malaysia. The govt will allow you to work in Malaysia as though you are no danger to anyone or specifically to kids just coz you are an ‘asset to the country!’”

The move also drew vitriol from Suri Kempe, the former programme manager for Muslim group Sisters in Islam (SIS).

“MAJLIS AMANAH RAKYAT you have got to be kidding me! So national bowler who commits statutory rape gets 2nd chance, convicted paedophilic ‘genius’ gets 2nd chance, but God forbid there are students who are politically active or voice opinions or go to protests... I guess those students should just rot in hell,” Suri wrote, also on Facebook.

Suri was referring to the high-profile case in 2012 in which a national bowler, then 19, pleaded guilty to having consensual sex with his 13-year-old girlfriend and escaped a jail sentence after the Court of Appeal ruled against a custodial sentence, saying the youth had shown remorse.

The anger was not limited to Facebook, with Twitter users similarly excoriating Mara’s decision and making “MARA” a trending topic on the site.

“If I’m a convicted serial killer, but I have a MARA scholarship and I’m really good at accountancy, can I work in the Finance Ministry?” user @WordManifest wrote.

“You hugged a kpop artiste on stage? We will shame you to oblivion! Paedophile? Here’s an offer letter to a MARA institution!” said another with the screenname of @ZaidMalik, referring to last year’s furore over two Malay girls who were hugged by members of a K-Pop band on stage.

“Only in Malaysia will they think of giving paedophile a second chance. #NoPedophiles,” a user named Kishin Mahtani tweeted.

Separately, Selangor Speaker Hannah Yeoh questioned Women Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim’s silence on Shafie’s proposal to appeal Nur Fitri’s sentence.

“Where is our Minister for Women, Family & Community Development to protect and speak up for children? Will she stand up against her fellow minister re MARA paedophile? Where is this Dato’ Rohani Abdul Karim?” she asked on her Facebook page.

According to British media last week, Nur Fitri, who was studying on a MARA scholarship in the Imperial College of London, was found to be in possession of over 30,000 videos and photographs of child pornography.

Police who raided his home in London found the 23-year-old sitting beside a life-sized mannequin of a young boy. He reportedly possessed 601 “Category A” videos and images, which depicted abuse involving penetrative sexual acts with children.

MARA had then announced that it had cancelled Nur Fitri’s loan after confirming that it had suspended funds for the student in November last year when he was first arrested by the London Metropolitan Police.

MARA also said that according to British law, a foreigner who has served two thirds of his sentence is eligible to be deported to his home country, and claimed this would be within four weeks of Nur Fitri’s conviction date.

It is unclear how MARA arrived at the conclusion, as according to British media reports, Nur Fitri was sentenced to five years’ jail in the UK last Friday.