KUALA LUMPUR, March 14 — Police have classified the case of a missing four-year-old boy, Eric Chang Wei Jie, as murder, according to Kuching district police chief ACP Ahsmon Bajah.

He said the case is now being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code. Previously, it was investigated under Section 31 (1)(a) of the Children Act 2001.

"Two suspects, namely a babysitter and her husband, have been arrested and will be remanded for further investigation. 

"Search efforts are being conducted around the Muara Tebas river and the surrounding vicinity, with the assistance of the Kuching Region 5 marine police, Fire and Rescue Department, and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA),” he said in a statement here last night.

Eric was reported missing from a house in the Bintawa residential area here on March 7.

Meanwhile, Ahsmon also advised the public not to make any speculations or assumptions about the case as it is still under investigation. — Bernama