SEGAMAT, Dec 29 — The Johor Permaisuri Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultan Idris Shah today visited the grave of a four-year-old boy who was suspected to have been a victim of child abuse in Senggarang, Batu Pahat, recently.
Her Royal Highness, dressed in all white, arrived at the Kampung Sungai Gatom Muslim Cemetery here at about 3pm, accompanied by the wife of the Regent of Johor Che’ Puan Besar Khaleeda Bustamam.
Also present were Johor Police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat and Segamat district officer Hasrin Kamal Hashim.
There was also a recital of Surah Yasin and ‘tahlil’ ceremony led by Johor deputy mufti Datuk Ahmad Faisal Mohamed.
Raja Zarith Sofiah and Che’ Puan Besar Khaleeda also sprinkled rose water and put flowers on the child’s grave.
The two spent about an hour at the cemetery and also gave words of encouragement to the victim’s relatives before leaving at about 4pm.
The child was admitted to the Sultan Ismail Hospital (HSI) in Johor Bahru on December 23 after being reported to have fainted at the house of his sister’s friend in Senggarang, and died on Monday (December 26) before being laid to rest at 5.30pm yesterday (December 28).
The child was under the care of his sister after their parents were sentenced to prison for drug offences.
To date, five individuals between the ages of 15 and 37 have been arrested to assist in the investigation, including the victim’s 19-year-old sister and her husband, 37.
The case, previously investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, has been reclassified as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
— Bernama
