IPOH, Oct 14 — A senior assistant in a primary school here has been arrested for alleged sexual harassment of a 12-year-old pupil.

Perak police chief Datuk Azizi Mat Aris said that the 37-year-old man was arrested on Oct 11 over a report the girl’s mother lodged.

"The 47-year-old mother reported that her daughter was hugged and kissed on the lips by the teacher.

"She also said the suspect sent indecent pictures to her daughter,” he said in a press conference at the Perak Police Headquarters here.

Azizi said preliminary investigations found that the suspect, who has been at the school for eight months, regularly harassed the girl.

When asked if there were other reports against the suspect, Azizi said no.

"For now there is only one victim. We will investigate if there are any other incidents,” he said, adding that the man did not have prior criminal records.

Azizi said the suspect was remanded for six days until October 17.

The case is being investigated under Section 14 (A) Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which carries imprisonment of not more than 20 years and is also liable to whipping upon conviction.

Yesterday, Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh, when responding to the case, said that suspect was immediately removed from the school after the alleged incident.

Wong said the victim should be protected, and urged the public to give the victim space.

"After receiving the report, the Education Department took the necessary action and removed the individual implicated from the campus,” he said in a Facebook post.

Wong added that the victim would not be transferred to another school and the Perak Education Department was investigating.