Prince, whose real name is Rahman Imam Hussein, is a Rohingya refugee.
Born in Penang after his parents fled Myanmar in the 1980s to escape the oppression there, the 26-year-old, the second of five children, has had to face a different kind of oppression here in Malaysia.
He tells FMT that growing up with the stigma of being a refugee has been tough, particularly for a 10-year-old, who couldn’t understand why the other kids in school wouldn’t play with him.
Today, he is part of an NGO called Paint the World that reaches out to refugees in society.
“We mentor refugees by introducing them to different languages and cultures from all around the world,” he tells FMT, explaining that he’s organised quite a few concerts and fundraisers for them too while with the NGO.
“Growing up, life may not have been comfortable, but it was decent,” Prince says.
He relates how his family lived in a shipping container on an abandoned construction site in Penang and his father worked as a blacksmith in the area.
“I remember there was a pond nearby where we used to fish and a farm at the back of our home where we grew vegetables.”
However, things took an ugly turn when his family moved to Kuala Lumpur. He began to notice other kids going to school but was told refugees like him weren’t allowed to go to government school.
Eventually, his father was able to enrol him in a religious school. “On my first day, my teacher introduced me as a refugee and being so different from the rest of the students I got bullied a lot,” Prince says.
“I was not allowed to eat with them and had to stand while eating because I was different,” he remembers, adding that the bullying persisted for one year.
Finally, unable to endure it any longer, he told his father he did not want to study there anymore.
Luckily for him, a school for underprivileged kids called Dignity For Children Foundation, had an opening and accepted him.
“I was so happy to go to Dignity. They were very welcoming, and I was able to meet friends who were just like me.”
Prince adds that moving to Dignity was a turning point in his life and gave him hope to study hard so he could make something of himself.
“The teachers in Dignity were very helpful and supportive. They encouraged me to get involved in music, dancing, football and drama,” he says, explaining that it was here that the moniker Prince was given to him.
“I used to love dancing like Prince,” he says of the late American singer and musician, adding that everyone in school began referring to him by that name, and it stuck.
Today, Prince divides his time between his work at the NGO and modelling to earn some money, something he started doing back in 2018 while studying for his degree.
“I really enjoy modelling. It allows me to meet and connect with different people as well,” he adds.
He obviously has a face the camera loves, having also been a talent for commercials for brands like Honda, Petronas, Maxis and UMobile. Recently, he was among the cast of a Malay sitcom as well.
His modelling and acting has been a means for him to build a following on social media and to share his story as a refugee with the world.
He says he hopes to someday change the mindset people have about refugees. “We are more than just refugees; we contribute to the country as well.”
After completing his SPM examination, Prince thought that would be the end of his academic journey. However, he received a full scholarship to attend Monash University Malaysia where he completed his degree in Marketing and International Business.
Even so, money was hard to come by and he had to work odd jobs to help supplement his family’s income. He’s been a construction worker, teacher and driver.
“I was even a masseuse at one time,” he laughs, adding that his assistant teaching post with Dignity brought him the most joy as he was able to help other refugees like himself.
What does the future hold for Prince?
He and a group of volunteers wish to open a school for refugees some day. They already have a name for it – United World Academy, where students will be taught art, music and dance.
“I believe art is moving the world forward and I want to give others like myself this opportunity.”
He now delivers talks at refugee schools around the country to motivate others to pursue their dreams.
“It wasn’t easy, but I recently went public with my journey and the struggles I faced as a refugee as I believe someone needs to represent the refugees in Malaysia and stand up for them.”
Follow Prince on Instagram where he continues to speak up for refugees and inspire them every day.