PETALING JAYA: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry will leave it to the court to decide on the alleged abuse which led to the death of a five-year-old boy near Serdang on Saturday.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, said if found guilty, the case against the boy's mother and her boyfriend would be framed under the Penal Code.
"Based on the recent information I received, I was told that the mother and her partner had lodged a police report. However, there was some suspicion during investigations and there is now a possibility the boy was not run over by a lorry.
"Nevertheless, I don't want to comment much as it is for the court to decide on the matter and the case is still under investigation.
"(And) if found guilty, they will go through the proper legal process and be charged under the Penal Code," she told reporters after the launch of a new women's centre at KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital here today.
Asked whether the ministry would introduce a new law or strengthen current laws pertaining to child abuse, Nancy said the Penal Code would continue to be used for such cases.
"This case is still in the early stages (of investigation) and there might be changes as the prosecution process is ongoing.
"We don't know the status (of the case) yet but for now the Penal Code will still be used (for such cases)."
Nancy said this in response to the death of the five-year-old following the alleged abuse by his mother, 44, and 29-year-old boyfriend, who claimed that the boy had been run over by a lorry.
On Saturday, Serdang District Police chief ACP A.A. Anbalagan said the boy, who was unconscious when brought to Serdang Hospital's Emergency Department, was confirmed dead at 12.50am on Saturday.
He was reported as saying that preliminary information found that the victim was said to have been hit by a lorry.
However, further checks by the hospital revealed bruises and old wounds on the boy's body.
It is believed that the victim had been abused and assaulted in an apartment before being sent to the hospital.
Police later arrested the boy's 44-year-old mother and her 29-year-old boyfriend, a lorry driver.
Anbalagan had said that the couple also lodged a false police report stating that the boy had been hit by a lorry.
The couple, who were tested positive for drugs, have been remanded for a week.
Among those detained were the child's mother, the mother's boyfriend, who is the main suspect, and other family members.