ALOR SETAR, April 28 — Two sisters in Kedah, who are in Year Three and Year One, suffered injuries believed to have been inflicted by their stepfather recently.
Kota Setar district police chief ACP Ahmad Shukri Mat Akhir said that on Tuesday, a teacher of the Year Three student of a Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) near here suspected her pupil was a victim of abuse.
“At 10.15am (on Tuesday), the victim’s teacher who was in the class noticed bruises on both cheeks of the victim and when asked, the victim said she had been beaten by her stepfather.
“The teacher then reported the matter to the student counsellor and school administration before it was referred to the Alor Setar Social Welfare Department (JKM) for further action,” he said in a statement today.
Ahmad Shukri said JKM had gone to the school to obtain further information regarding the issue before lodging a police report the next day at the Alor Setar police station, bringing along the victim and her sister who is from the same school.
“The statements of teachers and JKM officers, who received the initial complaints, have been recorded. Interviews with both siblings revealed that they had been beaten by their stepfather. Both sisters were taken for a medical examination to the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital here.
“The Year Three student suffered head injuries, swellings and bruises on both cheeks as well as bruises on her back as a result of being kicked by her stepfather. There were old scars on the forehead of the Year One victim,” he said.
Ahmad Shukri said the medical officer who examined both sisters confirmed that the injuries suffered were the result of beatings and they were currently warded for further monitoring.
“Police are tracking down their 33-year-old stepfather to assist in the investigation, and the case is being investigated under Section 31 (1) (a) of the Child Act 2001,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Shukri said police arrested a 33-year-old suspect from his house in Jalan Sungai Petani, near here, at 3.30pm today.
“His urine test turned out positive for methamphetamine.
“Police are in the process of recording a statement from the 31-year-old mother of the two girls, who we believe knows what has happened to her children,” he said in a statement tonight. — Bernama
