Penang Police Detail Action in Child Sexual Assault Case Involving Father

GEORGE TOWN – Police today detailed the actions taken in the case of an 11-year-old girl allegedly sexually assaulted by her biological father, following a report lodged by the victim's school headmaster on Oct. 16 last year.

Penang Police Chief Datuk Dennis Lim Kwang Keng said the report was received by the Criminal Investigation Division of the Barat Daya District Police Headquarters at 11:15 am, before the suspect was arrested at approximately 5:30 pm the same day.

"The suspect was subsequently remanded until Oct. 24, 2025, before being charged at the Balik Pulau Court on that date under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, read together with Section 16 of the same Act.

"The case is currently on trial, and the next court mention date has been set for Nov. 11, 2026," he said in a statement tonight.

Commenting on the victim's welfare, he said the child was initially placed under the temporary care of her grandmother on Oct. 16, 2025, as her biological mother was in Singapore at the time.

Lim said the victim was then referred to the One-Stop Crisis Centre (OSCC) at Penang Hospital on Oct. 17, 2025, and admitted to the pediatric ward until Oct. 21 of the same year, before the Barat Daya District Social Welfare Department (JKM) handed the child over to her biological mother on the same day.

He also advised the public against making any speculation or spreading unverified information that could cause misunderstandings regarding the case.

Previously, Berapit State Assemblywoman Heng Lee Lee questioned the move to allow the victim to return to an environment allegedly also inhabited by the suspect, rather than placing her under the protection of the authorities.

Heng described the incident as a failure of the child protection system and raised concerns over weak coordination between the police, the hospital, and JKM in handling the victim's welfare.