Court to decide on custody of boy

KUANTAN: A Court for Children here will decide today whether to grant temporary custody of a boy, found chained to a gas cylinder here last week, to his biological father or to the Welfare Department.

Pahang Welfare Department director Zulkhairi Zainol Abidin said the court would deliberate and make a ruling to safeguard the welfare of the boy, pending completion of a police investigation into the alleged abuse.

“The court will make a ruling on whether the boy can be placed either under the temporary care of the department, which could put him at a safe location, or under that of a fit person (to care for the boy),” he said.

He said such a fit person could refer to the father, if the court found the father suitable and able to ensure the wellbeing of the boy.

He said the boy, warded at Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital here since last week, might be discharged soon.

Zulkhairi said the police were taking a statement from the boy.

Women and Family Development, Communications and Multimedia Committee chairman Datuk Seri Shahaniza Shamsuddin confirmed the matter, adding that the boy would be taken to court today.

State Criminal Investigations Department chief Senior Assistant Commissioner Othman Nanyan confirmed the remand of the 32-year-old stepfather had been extended until tomorrow.

He said the magistrate’s court here ordered the remand extension to run from yesterday.

Last Thursday, the boy was discovered chained to the gas cylinder at the house in Indera Mahkota 1 at 10am. It was reported that the boy’s stepfather, a soldier attached to the Batu 10 camp in Jalan Gambang here, had allegedly chained him after he refused to attend school.