KLUANG, March 28 — Police arrested a 53-year-old man for allegedly harassing and outraging the modesty of a teenager at a plastic factory in Jalan Mersing-Kluang, Taman Puteri here today.

A police source told Malay Mail that the suspect, who works as a security guard at the factory, kissed the lips of the 16-year-old girl who also works in the same factory as an operator while she was on duty at 7am.

"The victim later lodged a police report at the Kluang police station at 9.03am.

"Based on the report, a team from the Kluang district police sexual crimes unit investigated the case and personnel from the district’s criminal investigations department (CID) apprehended the suspect at a restaurant in Jalan Paloh here at 4pm on the same day,” the source said.

Initial investigations revealed that this was not the first time the suspect molested the victim.

"He had performed the same act on the victim on several occasions.

"The suspect will be remanded tomorrow to facilitate investigations under Section 354 of the Penal Code for assault with intent to outrage the modesty of a woman,” said the source.

In Malaysia, under Section 509 of the Penal Code, any person who insults the modesty of any woman by word, through sound, gesture or exhibits any object intentionally, shall be punished for a term which may extend to five years or be fined or both.

When it involves an assault or the use of criminal force, the convicted person may be charged under Section 354 of the Penal Code which carries a punishment of up to 10 years imprisonment, or with whipping, or with a fine, or with any two of the mentioned punishments.