PUTRAJAYA: It was a moment when a rush of blood to the head got the best of Ahmad (not his real name) after he beat up his sister’s boyfriend, who had hit her.

Although his action may seem chivalrous because the lad from Kepong wanted to defend his sister, her now ex-boyfriend has lodged a police report against him.

The incident, which happened two years ago, cost Ahmad, who is now 19, to be remanded by the police and even spend a few days in jail.

“My sister was beaten black and blue, which angered me so much. I asked for the boyfriend’s address, which was in Klang. Upon reaching his place, I hit him for what he did to my sister.

“After a week of the altercation, I was taken to Klang police headquarters and held in lock up for a day. The next day, I went to court, but since it was my first time, I didn’t understand the whole legal process.

“In the end, I was remanded for another four days and a few months later, we got a court- appointed lawyer who managed to get me a Community Service Order (PKM) under the Welfare Department as I was only 17 years old at the time,” he told The Star.

Ahmad was sentenced to do community service like tidying up the graveyard, mosques, gotong- royong and even gardens.

Describing the PKM as a blessing as he could have ended up serving jail time, Ahmad felt good about doing community work for a total of 180 hours over one year.

Since his PKM, he has picked up new skills such as gardening, how to dig a grave, gotong-royong and engaging with local communities.

Asked about giving young people a second opportunity to make amends through PKM, Ahmad said it was worth the time considering the petty crimes committed by offenders.

“When you go through PKM, it changes you because it becomes part of you wanting to do good deeds. So, it brings happiness and a new routine instead of wasting time doing idle things,” he said.

“For example, when I first worked at the graveyard, it was not only tiring but also scary. But then I got used to it.

“My advice to others is think before you act and don’t let your anger get the best of you. Don’t lose your cool and commit petty offences,” he said.

Ahmad added that just staying five minutes in a lock up seemed like an eternity, so getting an alternative sentence such as PKM was a blessing in disguise.

“This is because a person can still continue to live at home and be with their family,” said Ahmad, who has since passed his Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia exams and is currently holding a steady job.

With six hours left in the PKM, he feels bittersweet about the experience he gained throughout this whole process.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/08/11/always-think-before-you-act-says-community-service-trainee