Petaling Jaya district police chief Fakhrudin Abdul Hamid said the 58-year-old suspect, who worked as a restaurant assistant, was arrested in Subang Valley, Selangor, at 10.30pm on Friday, after the teenager lodged a report at 1.18pm on the same day.

“Preliminary investigations found that the suspect had threatened to use a meat cleaver and hit the victim with a belt,” he said in a statement today.

Fakhrudin said the incident was believed to have been caused by the victim playing on her smartphone until late at night, in addition to her father’s hot-tempered nature.

Fakhrudin said police also seized a 33cm meat cleaver.

The suspect was remanded for four days, starting yesterday until Tuesday, to assist in the investigation in accordance with Section 3(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001.