Kangar police chief Yusharifuddin Yusop said the 33-year-old was detained at 1.30pm following a police report lodged by the headmaster of the child’s school in Jitra on Monday.

“The girl is believed to have been abused by her biological mother. The headmaster became aware of the situation when the girl arrived late to school,” he said in a statement.

A medical examination conducted at Tuanku Fauziah Hospital in Kangar found injuries on various parts of the victim’s body, believed to have been caused by biting and stabbing with a pair of scissors.

The child has been admitted for further treatment, while the woman, who resides in a housing area in Kangar, has been remanded for four days.

The case is being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 for child abuse, which carries a maximum fine of RM20,000, imprisonment of up to 10 years, or both, upon conviction.