The Child Act does not distinguish between perpetrators who are family members and strangers.
PETALING JAYA: The police have the power to arrest without a warrant if a child’s life is in danger and the Inspector-General of Police’s (IGP) statement that a father does not kidnap his son is astonishing, said Women’s Centre for Change (WCC) Advocacy officer Joshua Teh Honguan.
Teh said the police could do so under the Section 110 of the Child Act.
Muslim convert Izwan Viran Abdullah abducted his six-year-old son, Mithan, from his Hindu mother, S Deepa, on April 9 following the Seremban High Court decision to grant custody of their two children to the wife.
“The safety and well-being of two children is at stake as long as IGP Khalid Abu Bakar refuses to take any action against Izwan for abducting his son,” he said in a press statement today.
Teh said the abduction of children should be given the highest priority and urgent action must be taken.
“The children must be protected from harm as much as possible,” he added.
Teh said the IGP was ignorant of the law when he said “a father doesn’t kidnap his child”.
“The Child Act of 2001 does not distinguish between perpetrators who are family members and strangers.
“The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, of which Malaysia is a signatory, makes it an obligation to protect the interest of the children,” he said.
Another advocacy officer Melissa Mohd Akhir urged the police to look into the well-being of Mithran.
“The child’s welfare and well-being is a priority and the police should investigate Mithran’s emotional and physical status,” she added.
Deepa is now in hiding for fear of Izwan coming back to kidnap her nine-year-old daughter, Sharmila.
Teh said the police could do so under the Section 110 of the Child Act.
Muslim convert Izwan Viran Abdullah abducted his six-year-old son, Mithan, from his Hindu mother, S Deepa, on April 9 following the Seremban High Court decision to grant custody of their two children to the wife.
“The safety and well-being of two children is at stake as long as IGP Khalid Abu Bakar refuses to take any action against Izwan for abducting his son,” he said in a press statement today.
Teh said the abduction of children should be given the highest priority and urgent action must be taken.
“The children must be protected from harm as much as possible,” he added.
Teh said the IGP was ignorant of the law when he said “a father doesn’t kidnap his child”.
“The Child Act of 2001 does not distinguish between perpetrators who are family members and strangers.
“The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, of which Malaysia is a signatory, makes it an obligation to protect the interest of the children,” he said.
Another advocacy officer Melissa Mohd Akhir urged the police to look into the well-being of Mithran.
“The child’s welfare and well-being is a priority and the police should investigate Mithran’s emotional and physical status,” she added.
Deepa is now in hiding for fear of Izwan coming back to kidnap her nine-year-old daughter, Sharmila.
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