The suspect, a 37-year-old canteen worker, was arrested in Mata Ayer after the supermarket’s CCTV recording which captured the incident went viral on social media last night, Harian Metro reported.

The footage shows the suspect hitting the child on the head several times, causing the child to fall and hit the edge of a bench.

Arau police chief Ahmad Mohsin said they received a report on the incident at around 12.16am.

He added that the four-year-old girl sustained a wound at her right eyebrow and had been given follow-up medical treatment.

In a later statement, Ahmad Mohsin said the suspect has been remanded for six days, starting from today.

The case is being probed under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 which carries a fine of up to RM50,000 and a maximum 20 years’ imprisonment, upon conviction.

Women, family and community development minister Nancy Shukri said a child development department officer contacted Bukit Aman’s child investigations division yesterday about the incident.

“The young girl was taken to the hospital by the officer for further treatment. Let us pray that everything goes smoothly for her,” she said in an X posting today.