04/01/2026

NATIONAL 5 theSun on Sunday JAN 4, 2026

Violent shaking poses critical danger to infants

Court upholds jail, whipping on tiler PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has upheld a sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane imposed on a tiler for trafficking in 1,02kg of cannabis in 2019. A three-member bench comprising justices Datuk Hashim Hamzah (now chief judge of Malaya), Datuk Mohamed Zaini Mazlan and Datuk Azmi Ariffin dismissed Teh Geok Chin’s appeal against his conviction and sentence. In the 34-page grounds of judgment, Mohamed Zaini said Teh, who pleaded guilty to the charge, was barred from appealing against his conviction and could only challenge the sentence under Section 305 of the Criminal Procedure Code. “An appellate court may set aside a conviction only if the trial court failed to follow the prescribed procedure under Section 173(b) of the Criminal Procedure Code. The appellate court may then order a retrial if it finds that the required procedure was not complied with,” he said. “However, in Teh’s case, the High Court adhered to the procedure outlined under Section 173(b) of the Criminal Procedure Code.” – Bernama RM760,000 lost in gambling scam GEORGE TOWN: A real estate agent lost RM759,950 after falling victim to an online gambling investment scam. Penang police chief Datuk Azizee Ismail said the 64-year-old woman claimed she received a WhatsApp message in mid-October from a man enquiring about domestic helpers, after which she provided him with the contact details of a friend offering such services. “The man later continued communicating with the victim and introduced an online gambling investment known as ‘Casino Marina Bay’, which promised lucrative returns within a short period based on the invested capital.” Azizee said the woman realised she had been duped when she did not receive the promised profits and was instead instructed to make additional payments, purportedly to facilitate the withdrawal of her earnings. – Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: At five months old, Umar was a healthy and active baby, growing in line with his developmental milestones and already able to roll over and turn. After his mother returned to work following the end of her maternity leave, Umar was sent to the same childcare centre attended by his older brother. One morning about two months ago, Umar’s mother received a phone call informing her that her infant was having difficulty breathing. “My wife and I rushed to the childcare centre. When we arrived, Umar was weak and unconscious. We took him to a clinic immediately before he was referred to a hospital,” said his father, who asked to be known only as Siddiq. Umar was admitted to the hospital’s paediatric intensive care unit, where further

and eyes, that are particularly vulnerable in infants. In such cases, a more specific diagnosis is used – non-accidental head injury or abusive head trauma, an internationally accepted term since 2009 that includes injuries caused by violent shaking, blunt impact or both. Kong highlighted that one of the main challenges in identifying NAI is the absence of obvious external signs in the early stages, resulting in serious injuries being discovered only after the infant’s condition has deteriorated. “In cases of head abuse, babies often develop subdural haemorrhage, which is bleeding beneath the lining of the brain. While the bleeding may not occur directly within the brain tissue, the pressure can lead to brain swelling, seizures and breathing difficulties, and in some cases require emergency surgery. However, there are sometimes subtle early signs that parents may not notice, such as minor bruising.” Kong added that NAI is not an isolated occurrence. At UMMC, more than 200 cases of child abuse and neglect are treated each year, with about 13 involving serious injuries to the brain and eyes. “All cases involving brain and eye injuries are usually very serious and most require treatment in intensive care units,” she said, adding that some cases have resulted in death. UMMC consultant ophthalmologist Prof Dr Nurliza Khaliddin stressed that eye examinations play a crucial role in confirming a diagnosis of NAI. She said violent shaking not only damages the infant’s brain but also directly affects the eyes. “When a baby is shaken, the optic nerves and blood vessels in the eyes are also affected. This can cause retinal haemorrhage, which often mirrors what is happening in the brain. When eye findings are severe, the brain injury is usually severe as well,” she said. She added that retinal injuries in NAI cases display distinctive patterns rarely seen in other forms of trauma, including bleeding across multiple retinal layers, Roth spots caused by small haemorrhages and retinoschisis, in which retinal layers split due to strong impact or violent shaking. “These patterns are diagnostically important. Without examining the eyes, we may miss cases as not all injuries present clear external signs.”

Such abuse renders severe trauma to brain and eyes, with virtually no visible signs until condition becomes critical

concerning medical reality among infants, in which severe injuries leave no external marks and are often only detected when a child’s condition becomes critical. In medical terms, this is known as non-accidental injury (NAI). UMMC Department of Paediatrics clinical specialist in general paediatrics Dr Kong Sik Thien explained that the term NAI is used when injuries do not match the account provided, the child’s developmental stage or the usual mechanisms of accidental injury. She added that NAI frequently involves the head

investigations, including an MRI scan, revealed a far more serious condition. He had suffered a severe internal head injury believed to have been caused by violent shaking, a form of abuse in which forceful movement causes an infant’s fragile brain to move violently within the skull, leading to bleeding, bruising and swelling. After a police report was lodged, the hospital referred Umar to the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), where he was managed by the Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect team. Umar’s case reflects a deeply

SOPHISTICATED SCREENING ... High-technology scanning machines at the departure gates of the KL International Airport Terminal 1 has not only helped ease passenger movement but also enhanced the detection of smuggling activities. – BERNAMAPIC

Teen pleads guilty to injuring former police chief KUALA LUMPUR: A teenager has pleaded guilty in the Magistrate’s Court to injuring former Dang Wangi district police chief senior assistant commissioner Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman during an evacuation operation in Kampung Sungai Baru three months ago. Magistrate Nurfarahain Roslan fixed Feb 4 for sentencing pending the preparation of a character report for the 16-year old accused. the commanding officer. The offence was allegedly committed at Jalan Datuk Abdul Malik in Kampung Sungai Baru between 10.50am and 11.14am on Sept 11. The charge was framed under Section 332 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of three years, a fine or both. and date. The charge was filed under Section 145 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of two years, a fine or both. Magistrate Nurul Izzah Hasan Basri imposed a RM3,500 fine, in default six months’ jail, on Mohd Sopirman Mohd Yunus, 31, Muhammad Redzuan Kamal Abdul Rahman, 19, Muhammad Fallah Islahudden Shah Abdul Fattah, 20, and Muhammad Azhar Salleh, 36, after they pleaded guilty.

in one surety, with mention fixed for Feb 4. The court also set Feb 4 for sentencing of two underaged accused, aged 16 and 17, who also pleaded guilty, to allow for the preparation of character reports. Both teenagers were granted bail of RM500 each in one surety. The proceedings were held in camera as they involved minors. DPPs Joshua Tee and Nurul Farhanah Arul Hisham prosecuted while lawyers Farith Emier Farhan Mormi, Muhammad Najib Ahmad and Nur Asniqeen Mohd Sultan comprised the defence team. – Bernama

During proceedings on Friday, the accused and six others were also charged in a separate Magistrate’s Court with participating in an unlawful assembly to oppose an eviction notice despite being ordered to disperse, at the same place, time

According to the charge, the teenager was accused of voluntarily causing hurt to intimidate Sulizmie Affendy while he was carrying out his duties as

Another accused, Ariffin Abu Bakar, 56, pleaded not guilty and the court granted bail of RM2,800