A 45-year-old Chinese national has been arrested in Kuala Lumpur after allegedly driving away while his 12-year-old son clung to the family car before falling onto the North-South Expressway.
The incident, which occurred near the Nilai Toll Plaza, was captured on dashcam footage that has since gone viral, attracting about 1.8 million views on social media.
The footage showed the father and son standing beside a white Perodua Axia on the roadside before the man returned to the driver’s seat and drove off.
As the vehicle moved away, the boy grabbed its door handle and ran alongside it in an attempt to catch up. However, he eventually lost his grip and fell onto the expressway.
A passing motorist subsequently stopped to help the boy, who reportedly suffered injuries to his hands and legs.
Nilai district police chief Superintendent Johari Yahya said the boy’s father was later arrested at a residence along Jalan Cheras in Kuala Lumpur, the New Straits Times reported.
Police also seized the white Perodua Axia featured in the viral video.
According to Bernama, the man told police that his family had been travelling from Cheras to Bagan Lalang, Selangor, for an outing when an argument broke out between the boy and his younger sibling.
The dispute allegedly angered the father, who stopped the car along the expressway to reprimand his eldest son.
During questioning, the man reportedly admitted that he deliberately left the boy behind and drove away to teach him a lesson.
He later claimed that after noticing his son had fallen onto the road, he turned back and took the boy to a private clinic for treatment.
The case is being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001.
