Abused victim's child custody care decided in a month

KUANTAN: The decision on the custody of a 10-year-old child who was a victim of abuse when he was chained to a gas cyclinder recently, will only be known in a month's time.
Chairman of the Pahang state Women and Family Development, Communications and Multimedia committee Datuk Shahaniza Shamsuddin said the Welfare Services Department (JKM) was currently in the midst of preparing an intervention report to be handed to the court before further action is decided.
"Yesterday, the boy's father, 36, informed us of his willingness to care for the boy who used to live with him in Malacca, but was taken by his ex-wife to live here.
"However, I have explained to him that the case was now under the Child Act and the boy under the protection of the JKM which will submit a report to the court in 30 days. "If the court is satisfied that the father is capable of looking after the boy, it will grant custody to him. Let us wait for the JKM report and court assessment," he said when contacted here today.
Yesterday, when the boy's father arrived from Teluk Mas, Melaka to visit his son at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (HTAA), the boy cried and begged his father to take him home.
According to Dr Shahaniza, the boy is expected to be allowed to go home in a day or two.
"Once discharged, the JKM will look after him in a child protection home here pending the court decision," she said. — Bernama