Kemaman police chief Hanyan Ramlan said the 70-year-old farmer will be called to assist in the investigation, Sinar Harian reported.

Hanyan said the type of poison has not been identified and a sample of the biscuit has been sent for lab testing.

The case is being investigated under Section 31(1) of the Child Act 2001 and Section 284 of the Penal Code for negligence involving poisonous substances.

Section 284 of the Penal Code carries a penalty of up to six months’ imprisonment, or a fine of up to RM2,000, or both, upon conviction.

Yesterday, Bernama reported that the boy, aged 13, came across the biscuits while passing a farm on his way to a river to catch fish.

Hanyan was quoted as saying the boy ate the biscuits, which were in a plastic bag, and later collapsed. The boy was found by his friend’s father lying unconscious on the ground.

He was taken to a nearby clinic before being sent to Kemaman Hospital, where he was reported to be in stable condition.

He is the third boy to have fallen victim to laced snacks in the past few days.

Last week, two brothers, Akil Syauqi Nur Sufyan and Luth Syauqi, aged three and two, respectively, died after eating keropok (crackers) believed to have been laced with rat poison put on a fence to trap monkeys.