PETALING JAYA: The mother of Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin, the autistic boy whose death sparked national attention, testified in court that she never left her son unattended. Ismanira Abdul Manaf, 30, firmly denied allegations of neglect during the defence proceedings at the Sessions Court.
“Never, not even once. I was the one who carried, gave birth to, and raised Zayn. Throughout his life, I was only ever separated from him during my working hours and when he was at school,“ said Ismanira. Her lawyer, Haresh Mahadevan, led the examination-in-chief as she countered the prosecution’s claims.
The charge under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 alleges that Ismanira and her husband, Zaim Ikhwan Zahari, neglected Zayn Rayyan in a manner likely to cause physical harm. The incident reportedly occurred near Block R of Idaman Apartments in Damansara Damai between December 5 and 6, 2023. Zaim Ikhwan was earlier acquitted, while Ismanira was ordered to enter her defence.
“I was not at Block R the entire time, and I never went near the river area as alleged. I genuinely lost my child on that day, and it was not a case of neglect,“ she stressed. If convicted, the offence carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment, a RM50,000 fine, or both. - Bernama
