Suspect in alleged abduction of girl in Johor rearrested
JOHOR BAHRU – Malaysian police have rearrested a 31-year-old man who was previously detained over the abduction of a six-year-old girl who went missing in Johor for a few days.
Johor police chief M. Kumar said the suspect was arrested on Aug 4 after various sex toys and child pornographic material were found at the suspect’s residence in Kulai, Johor.
“The investigation is being conducted under Section 10 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 for possessing child sexual abuse material and Section 292 of the Penal Code for possessing obscene material,” he said in a statement.
Commissioner Kumar added that Section 10 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 carries an imprisonment term of up to five years, a fine not exceeding RM10,000 (S$3,000), or both, while Section 292 of the Penal Code carries an imprisonment term for up to three years, a fine, or both.
He advised the public, especially parents, to continuously monitor their children’s activities, emotional development and physical well-being to detect any signs of sexual abuse early to bring perpetrators to justice.
“The community also needs to be aware of current crime trends and educate their children about the dangers, particularly on social media,” he said.
Commissioner Kumar added that any information regarding such incidents can be reported to the Johor police hotline on 019-279 2095 or its operations room on 07-221 2999.
An earlier remand order for the suspect for investigation under Section 365 of the Penal Code for kidnapping, among others, expired on Aug 4.
The six-year-old girl went missing at a Bon Odori event at a mall in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, at 8.30pm on July 20. She was rescued from a budget hotel in Batang Kali, Selangor, at 4.45pm on July 23.
The suspect, who was with her in the hotel, was also detained. – THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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