Girl Molested At Funfair By A Family Friend Who Pretended To Take Her Out For Supper
The incident allegedly happened at a funfair in Sungai Petani, Kedah.
By Tang Ruxyn — 23 Jan 2018, 12:49 PM
A man was caught on camera in the act of sexually violating a child in public recently
A video of the incident, which has gone viral on social media, shows a man cradling a girl on his lap and kissing her at a funfair in Sungai Petani, Kedah.
The man also appeared to be touching the girl inappropriately as he can be seen fondling her chest from underneath her dress.
According to media reports, the video is believed to have first surfaced on social media when it was shared by Durian Media on Facebook. Although the video has since been removed, it has already made its way across social media.
1. The man in the video is a family friend
According to Kuala Muda District Police Chief ACP Saifi Abdul Hamid, the man was said to be a close friend of the family and had pretended to take the seven-year-old girl out for food.
"The man went to the woman's (victim's mother) house in Sungai Lalang at 11pm on Saturday and asked her permission if he could take the girl out to buy some food at Taman Bandar Baru here. He brought the girl home at 1am," he was quoted as saying by TheSun Daily.
It was learned that the man had brought the girl to a fun fair in Taman Ria, where the alleged molestation took place.
2. The victim's mother found out what happened after watching the video on social media
It was reported that the mother saw the viral video of the incident on Sunday evening.
She later confronted the man, when he came back to their home at 11.30pm that day.
According to Saifi, the suspect confessed and apologised to the victim's mother before fleeing the house.
3. The suspect was arrested yesterday, 22 January
The authorities launched a manhunt after receiving two police reports, one of which came from the victim's mother and the other from a police officer.
The police successfully arrested a suspect, who is a factory worker in his 40s, at 3.10pm yesterday, 22 January.
The case is being investigated under Section 14(a) of Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and whipping upon conviction.
4. Members of the public have been urged to stop circulating the video
Social activist Syed Azmi Alhabshi had earlier urged social media users to stop sharing the video of the incident on social media as the child's face could be identified in the video since her face is visible and not censored.
"It doesn't matter which nationality, just protect the child," he said in a Facebook posting, as reported by Malaysiakini.
The Star Online reported several child rights activists who have also voiced out their concern over the child's safety and privacy. They were critical of the person who filmed and uploaded the video, as the person has failed to take proactive action against the perpetrator by making a police report, instead choosing to spread the video on social media.
"What is a person's intention in uploading that video on social media? You are showing the pain and shame of the child," Creativity at Heart co-founder and child therapist Priscilla Ho was quoted as saying.
The police said that the victim has since been taken to Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital (HSAH) for examination.