Facing the music: Muhammad Firdaus and Siti Salasiah being escorted to the Sessions Court.
KUALA PILAH: They left their two young children in their car unattended, with the engine running – the car then moved forward and crashed into a stall at a Ramadan bazaar, hurting the stall owner.
The parents pleaded guilty to a charge of child negligence at the Sessions Court here.
Muhammad Firdaus Shariman, 32, and Siti Salasiah Jumaah, 25, did not contest the charge after it was read to them before judge Norma Ismail.
They were charged with leaving their children aged six and one in the car unsupervised along a road near a Ramadan bazaar in Kuala Klawang around 5.30pm on March 12.
They were charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years or a fine of up to RM50,000 or both upon conviction.
Section 31(1)(a) states that action can be taken against a parent or guardian who neglects, abandons or exposes a child in a manner likely to cause him/her physical or emotional injury.
Siti Salasiah also pleaded guilty to a second charge of causing grievous hurt to a stall owner after the car which she had parked earlier crashed into the latter’s stall.
The stall owner was scalded after a wok of boiling cooking oil tipped over and spilled on him.
She was charged under Section 338 of the Penal Code which states that action can be taken against anyone who commits a rash or negligent act that can endanger human life or the personal safety of others.
Offenders can be jailed up to two years or fined up to RM2,000 or both upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Norazihah Asmuni requested the court set another date for sentencing to allow the prosecution to file the facts of the case.
She asked the court to fix bail at RM5,000 with one surety for each of the accused and to order them to surrender their passports to the court.
She also asked for additional bail of RM3,000 for Siti Salasiah for the second charge.
The couple, who were unrepresented, pleaded for a lower bail as they could not afford the amount proposed by the prosecution.
Muhammad Firdaus said he worked as a gardener while Siti Salasiah was a housewife.
Judge Norma then fixed bail at RM3,000 with one surety each for the joint offence while Salasiah was ordered to post an additional RM1,000 for the second charge.
Judge Norma fixed May 2 to sentence Siti Salasiah and the following day for sentencing in the child neglect case involving the duo.
