PETALING JAYA: Convicted child porn addict Nur Fitri Azmeer Nordin has been likened to “a kid who played truant”.

“Students who play truant are given a second chance, so why is it different with Nur Fitri?” asked Mara council member Nazir Hussin Akhtar Hussin.

“Whatever it is, we have to give him a chance to continue his studies,” said Nazir.

Nur Fitri, 23, was studying at Imperial College in London when he was arrested for having the pornographic materials last November.

Nazir said he was not speaking on behalf of Mara when he said earlier that Nur Fitri would be given a chance to continue his education in any Mara institution in Malaysia once he had served his sentence.

“It was my personal opinion.”

Mara chairman Tan Sri Annuar Musa said they would help Nur Fitri on “humanitarian grounds” and because he is a Malaysian.

In a Facebook post, Annuar said people were busy attacking Nur Fitri, but many had strayed from the actual issue.

“Should we condemn him forever?” he asked, while explaining that Nur Fitri could be deported despite not completing his education.

“This is a case involving a psychiatric disorder,” he said, adding that Nur Fitri needed support, medication and treatment.

He said Mara had yet to take a stance following Nur Fitri’s sentencing, but he personally felt that he should be helped and reformed.