GEORGE TOWN (Malaysia) — The Malaysian police have detained an unemployed man for throwing his two nieces — including a 40-day-old baby — from a height at an apartment in Sungai Pinang, a residential neighbourhood in George Town, Penang, on Wednesday (Aug 2).

Northeast district police chief Assistant Commissioner Soffian Santong said the 29-year-old man was detained by the police at the scene after receiving a report about the incident.

"The incident happened when the man returned home with a slash wound on his hand and was covered in blood and had asked his sister (who is the siblings' mother) to kill him.

"Shocked, the sister asked him to be calm.

"Suddenly, the man took his three-year-old niece and threw her from the first floor of the apartment building. He then took the baby and threw her to the floor," Mr Soffian said.

He added that the incident happened quickly.

Malaysian news outlet The Star reported that the incident happened at 3.30pm on Wednesday, and that both the toddler and baby were thrown off the first-floor apartment balcony.

At that time, the man's mother, younger and elder sister were at the scene but did not manage to do anything.

Mr Soffian said the elder sister then alerted her husband to the incident before contacting police, who later came and arrested the man.

"Following the incident, the elder girl sustained injuries to her mouth and broke her left leg while the younger girl sustained injuries to the head.

"Both sisters are being treated at the Penang Hospital and under close observation," he added.

Mr Soffian said the unit was occupied by the man, his mother and younger sister, while his elder sister was there for her confinement after giving birth.

"According to family members, the suspect has shown mental health issues the past month, and has a prior record for drugs." he said in a statement on Thursday.

The man has been remanded for a week for further investigation under Section 307 of the Penal Code.

"Police are still probing the incident, including obtaining the man's medical report to determine his mental status," he said. NEW STRAITS TIMES