The man who chained his six-year-old daughter and two-year-old son in a bathroom for more than five hours last week, has claimed trial for ill-treating, neglecting, abandoning and exposing his children in a manner likely to cause them physical and emotional injuries.
The self-employed man, Tan Hooi Keong, 43, was charged in a Magistrate's Court here this morning with two counts of the offence under Section 31(1)(a) of the Children's Act 2001.
Tan, who was unrepresented by a lawyer, appeared calm when both charges were read out to him before Magistrate Mohd Zamir Suhaimee.
After pleading not guilty to both charges, he appealed to Mohd Zamir to reduce the RM10,000 bail requested by deputy public prosecutor Masnuraznim Abdul Malik.
Mohd Zamir set bail at RM9,000 in one surety for both charges and fixed Feb 3 for mention.
Tan was accused of committing the offences on Dec 28 last year between 3pm and 8pm in his home at 21, Jalan Mawar in Taman Dahlia here.
Tan's children are currently placed under the temporary custody of his elder brother, Munawar Tan Abdullah.
