KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 ― The Social Welfare Department (JKM) will apply for temporary custody of Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matiin’s younger brother at the Shah Alam Magistrate’s Court, near here today.

Selangor JKM director Azmir Kassim said the department will also seek a period of time for them to identify a guardian or a qualified and suitable individual to take care of the child.

"By today we will get the temporary court order to take the child for a (medical) check and such. We will also request for a period of time from the court, maybe a month or two, to look for a guardian or qualified and suitable person to care for the child,” he told Bernama today, adding that both the child’s parents, Ismanira Abdul Manaf serta Zaim Ikhwan Zahari, had been informed of the matter.

"As a child, he (Zayn Rayyan’s younger brother) is confused, he doesn’t quite grasp the situation. But so far (he’s) okay, no problems because we’ve placed him in a hospital for a medical check up first,” he said, adding that the child was well.

Zayn Rayyan’s parents, Zaim Ikhwan Zahari and Ismanira Abdul Manaf, pleaded not guilty at the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court to charges of child neglect yesterday.

They were charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which is punishable under Section 31(1) of the same Act, and read together with Section 34 of the same Act, which allows a maximum fine of RM50,000 or no more than 20 year’s in jail, or both, if found guilty.

Zayn Rayyan was found dead in an area nearby his residence in Idaman Apartments, Damansara Damai on Dec 6, 2023 after being reported missing the day before. ― Bernama