KUCHING, March 29 — An arrest warrant has been issued against the father of the missing four-year-old boy, Eric Chang Wei Jie, for failing to appear in the Magistrates’ Court here today to face a drug abuse charge.

Magistrate Zaiton Anuar issued the arrest warrant after finding that the accused, Lee Fook Chuan, 30, failed to appear for mention of the case in the court.

The court then set the case to be mentioned again on April 21.

The accused, who was a merchant, is scheduled to be charged today under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 (Act 234) for abusing methamphetamine and amphetamine at around 1.53pm on Nov 12, 2020.

The charge, punishable under Section 15(1) of the same Act, carries a jail sentence of up to two years or a fine not exceeding RM5,000, and to be placed under police supervision for a period of not less than two years and not more than three years.

The prosecution was conducted by Insp Merylene Lindan Andrew Mang.

Eric was reported missing by his mother on March 7 after she failed to find him since 9am that day.

The search operation for the child in Muara Tebas here, which started on March 13, was called off on March 19. — Borneo Post