A plumber was fined RM8,000 by the Sessions Court here yesterday after pleading guilty to assaulting his 11-year-old daughter with a clothes hanger — all because she failed to wash the dishes and clean the kitchen.
The violent act drove the terrified child to run away from their home in Taman Metropolitan Kepong to save herself.
Judge Izralizam Sanusi also ordered the 42-year-old man to serve eight months in jail if he fails to pay the fine. In addition, he was placed under a two-year good behaviour bond with RM1,000 bail and one surety, and must perform 36 hours of community service within six months.
Arriving in court in a wheelchair, the accused — who was unrepresented — pleaded for leniency, expressing remorse for his actions toward his only daughter.
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Ikhwan Mohd Nasir urged the court to impose a heavier sentence, arguing that this was not the first time the father had acted violently toward his child.
“His actions traumatized the victim to the point she fled from home. She was later rescued by members of the public,” he said, adding that a father should protect, not harm, his child.
The man was charged with causing physical injuries to his 11-year-10-month-old daughter around 2pm on October 3 at their home in Taman Metropolitan Kepong, under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or up to 20 years in prison, or both, upon conviction.
Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Datuk Fadil Marsus previously said the father was arrested after showing up at the Kepong Police Station on October 6 to report his daughter missing — only for police to discover he was the abuser himself.
The child had been found wandering alone near a shop in Metro Prima on October 5, before a concerned passerby brought her to the police station.
A medical examination at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) revealed bruises under her lip, scratches on her back, and head pain. Police confirmed the accused had no prior criminal record.
