PETALING JAYA: The arrest and the remand order against the parents of six-year-old Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matiin were made based on developments in the police investigation into the case.
Lawyer Mahmud Abdul Jumaat, representing the parents of the autistic boy, confirmed that his clients have been remanded for seven days to facilitate police investigation under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
"There have been several new developments in the police investigation leading to the arrest of the two individuals.
"There have been new developments in terms of statements (recorded from the parents) before. These include recent developments from the police investigations into the case.
"Let us avoid from making any speculations at the moment. I appeal to all parties to remain calm and pray that the family remains strong in facing these tests," he told reporters after the remand procedure concluded at the magistrate's court today.
He added that the case is still under remand and it is aimed at giving the police time to complete the investigation.
"If the investigation concludes, the case will be referred to the prosecution team and at that time, the main suspect will be identified," he said.
Asked on the possibility of new evidence obtained by the police or conflicting records of their previous conversations, Mahmud said these two factors may have contributed to the arrest of his clients.
When asked about the condition of his clients, Mahmud said both of them were still in shock over the arrest, as everyone knows they are Zayn Rayyan's parents.
"Of course, they are very shocked, being the parents of the victim. This is something unexpected. I, too, was surprised. I believe the entire nation is shocked by this matter," he said.
However, he expressed confidence that the remand order issued against Zayn Rayyan's parents is aimed at completing the investigation into the case.
"We will give the police space to conduct a transparent and thorough investigation for the sake of justice.
"If the police cannot complete the investigation within these seven days, they can apply for a second remand," he said.
Earlier today, it was reported that police arrested the parents of the autistic boy at their family home in Puncak Alam, Selangor, around 11 am yesterday (May 31).
Sources said both of them were brought to the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters for further investigation.
Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan confirmed that the parents of boy, who was found dead near a river at his home in Damansara Damai on Dec 6 last year, were arrested under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
The couple has been remanded for seven days to assist in the police investigation into the case.