Hilir Perak police chief Ahmad Adnan Basri said the 45-year-old local man had been remanded until Feb 6.

“The incident occurred at 6.30am yesterday when the complainant was patrolling the school grounds.

“He saw the suspect hugging and violating the modesty of the seven-year-old girl in front of a classroom.

“He then apprehended the suspect at the scene and lodged a report,” he said in a press statement here today.

Adnan said the victim claimed she had been molested multiple times by the suspect at school and the suspect had admitted this during questioning.

He said the suspect is being investigated for physical sexual assault of a child under Section 14 (a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which is punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and caning upon conviction.