Section 31 — JUVENILE COURTS ACT 1947

(a)

abuses, neglects, abandons or exposes the child or acts negligently in a manner likely to cause him physical or emotional injury or causes or permits him to be so abused, neglected, abandoned or exposed; or

(b)

sexually abuses the child or causes or permits him to be so abused, commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twenty years or to both.

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(2)

The Court shall, in addition to any punishment specified in subsection (1), order the person convicted of an offence under that subsection—

(a)

to execute a bond with sureties to be of good behavior for such period and on such conditions as the Court thinks fit;

and

(b)

to perform community service.

(3)

If a person who is ordered to execute a bond to be of good behaviour under subsection (2) fails to comply with any of the conditions of such bond, he shall be liable to a further fine not exceeding ten thousand ringgit or to a further imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.

(3A)

The community service referred to in paragraph (2)(b)—

(a)

shall not be less than thirty-six hours and not more than two hundred forty hours in aggregate;

(b)

shall be performed within the period not exceeding six months from the date of the order; and

(c)

shall be subject to such conditions as may be specified by the Court.

(3B)

Any person who fails to comply with the order of the Court to perform community service under paragraph (2)(b) commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand ringgit.

(4)

A parent or guardian or other person legally liable to maintain a child shall be deemed to have neglected him in a manner likely to cause him physical or emotional injury if, being able to so provide from his own resources, he fails to provide adequate food, clothing, medical or dental treatment, lodging or care for the child.

(5)

A person may be convicted of an offence against this section notwithstanding that—

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(a)

suffering or injury to the health of the child in question or the likelihood of suffering or injury to the health of the child in question was avoided by the action of another person; or

(b)

the child in question has died.

Children not to be used for begging, etc.