By M. Sivanantha Sharma

KULIM, MALAYSIA - Police are investigating a 33-year-old man for allegedly physically abusing his 12-year-old daugher, who went missing just before she was supposed to sit for her UPSR at SRJK (T) Kulim on Sept 8.

Kulim OCPD Supt Ghuzlan Salleh said the case was being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act.

The offence upon conviction carries a fine up to RM20,000 or a jail sentence of up to 10 years or both.

"We will forward investigation papers to the Deputy Public Prosecutor's office to seek clearance to charge the man for allegedly physically abusing the girl," he said.

The girl, S. Ashwini, was subsequently found in the home of her relative in Kampung Melayu Flats in Air Itam on Friday morning.

She is now placed at a welfare home in Kulim.

Supt Ghuzlan said investigations revealed one of the two women who took away the girl from the school was the girl's foster mother who had taken care of her for about 10 years before she returned to stay with her parents here.

It was also learnt that the girl had called her foster mother to take her to her house in Penang Island.

Police arrested the two women and another who was at the flat in Kampung Melayu on Friday but they were released the same day.

However, police picked up the girl's father and released him on Saturday under police bail pending investigations.