KLANG: A kindergarten teacher was sentenced to two months jail by the magistrate's court here for assaulting a 4-year-old boy last month.
The sentence was handed down by magistrate Siti Zubaidah Mahat after the accused, M. Malini, 25, pleaded guilty to the charge.
Siti Zubaidah ordered the accused to serve the jail term from the date of her arrest.
According to the charge sheet, Malini was accused of intentionally causing injuries to the boy by hitting him on the cheek and back.
The incident occurred at a kindergarten on Jalan Pandamaran near here at 9.36am on May 13.
The charge was framed under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of one year jail or a fine of RM2,000 or both.
The accused was initially unrepresented by a lawyer. During mitigation, she requested the court to impose a minimum fine as she was from a B40 family and had repented for her mistake.
"I am the eldest child and support my family with a monthly salary of RM1,700. I apologise for slapping (the victim)," she said.
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Yong Ching Hong requested a deterrent sentence. Yong said the accused being a kindergarten teacher should show affection and not resort to hitting children.
"The situation has caused trauma to the victim."
However, after the sentence was passed, the accused returned to the courtroom for further proceedings after appointing lawyer A. Birantha to seek permission to suspend execution of the sentence until her appeal was later decided in the High Court.
Birantha said Malini did not receive advice regarding today's proceedings. She was informed by her family that she would only have to pay a fine.
"This morning, I believe no one represented the accused. My client also just got married last April and is taking care of her parents," she said.
The prosecution did not object to the request and urged the court to impose bail of RM5,000 with one surety.
The magistrate allowed the accused's application and set bail of RM5,000.
It was previously reported that a 4-year-old boy was reported to have sustained injuries after he was allegedly hit by his teacher at a kindergarten in Pandamaran here on May 13.
Police investigation revealed that the victim had soiled his pants while at the kindergarten.
The teacher then instructed the child to go to the bathroom. However, when the child refused to get up from his chair, the teacher allegedly slapped the child.