Sekolah Tunas Bakti Sungai Besi isn’t just a school — it’s a sanctuary of redemption tucked quietly along Jalan Kuchai Lama in the southern part of Kuala Lumpur.
Behind its gates, young lives once derailed by missteps are being steered back on course.
This correctional and rehabilitation institution, run by the Federal Territory Social Welfare Department under the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, offers more than discipline — it offers hope.
Designed for male juveniles aged 13 to 18 who have been court-ordered into rehabilitation, the school is a living testament to the government’s belief in restorative justice.
Under the stewardship of Principal Ramacantiran M. Ananthan, the school currently houses 26 students, each given the tools to rewrite their story.
Beyond academics under the national school curriculum and vocational training, STB Sungai Besi champions sports as a pathway to confidence and discipline. A full-fledged boxing ring anchors the school hall, where students train with dreams of winning medals for the Federal Territory’s Sukma team.
Football and athletics are also given emphasis in their physical development programme while vocational exposure — through partnerships with the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) and other relevant agencies — prepares students for real-world skills and certifications.
Recently, 29 students from the PACE (Professional and Continuing Education) Centre of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) — under the banner of Kumpulan Prismavia — brought warmth, friendship and hope to STB Sungai Besi through a heartfelt outreach initiative. The visit wasn’t just symbolic — it was transformative for the juveniles.
Noraziah Chemok Ali, Deputy Director of the Federal Territory Social Welfare Department, praised the effort as a powerful gesture of inclusion. “People derailed by setbacks deserve a second chance,” she said. “When society shows up, it tells these children that they are not forgotten.”
“Community well-being isn’t just the job of the authorities alone” Noraziah emphasised. “It’s a shared duty — one that calls on every segment of society to step up, care deeply, and contribute meaningfully.”
Her message was echoed by Roland Narayanan, Programme Director of the event from PACE Prismavia, who emphasised the outreach’s role in cultivating empathy, teamwork, and civic responsibility among university students. “Engaging with the STB community allowed our students to confront life’s realities and embrace the values of humanity,” he said.
A Lesson in Worth: RM10 and Redemption
In a poignant moment, Associate Professor Dr Abdul Aziz Othman, Deputy Director of PACE UUM, who launched the programme, held up a RM10 note — initially crisp, then folded, and eventually crumpled—to illustrate a timeless truth: no matter its condition, the note retains its value.
“So too,” he told the STB Sungai Besi students, “does your self-worth remain intact, no matter your past.”
It was a metaphor that lingered — reminding everyone present that dignity, resilience, and the capacity to change are not just ideals, but lived possibilities.
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