Soldier charged with kicking 5-year-old daughter

A soldier appeared in the Kota Bharu sessions court, charged with assaulting his five-year-old daughter at a restaurant on September 11. The accused, 40, denied the allegations, which were read out to him by Judge Zulkifli Ablah. The incident allegedly took place at 10:55 pm at a restaurant on Jalan Kuala Krai. The charge under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 includes a potential maximum penalty of RM50,000 in fines, up to 20 years in jail, or both.

Deputy public prosecutor Syazalia Che Suhaimin refused to grant bail, citing the victim's close relationship to the accused and the severity of the offense. The soldier's defense attorney, Zuhaidie Akmal Hasan Basri, requested minimum bail, citing the defendant's lack of prior criminal history and his role as the sole provider for three children, including his wife who suffers from cancer and chronic kidney disease.

The court granted bail of RM10,000 with one surety and imposed conditions requiring the accused to report to the nearest police station twice monthly, surrender his passport, and refrain from any communication with the victim or witnesses. The trial is set to resume on October 22. This charge emerged following the dissemination of a viral video depicting a man kicking a child at a restaurant, leading to a police investigation.