GEORGE TOWN: A businessman has been arrested by the police for allegedly abusing his wife and nine children in Timur Laut district recently.

Penang Criminal Investigation Department head SAC Rahimi Ra'ais said the 41-year-old man was arrested yesterday following a report lodged by his wife.

"The woman, aged 31, claimed that she and their nine children, aged between one and 13 years, were abused by the man," he told a media conference here today.

He said the police had obtained an order to remand the suspect from today until Jan 6 to facilitate investigation underSection 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001.

A picture of a woman with nine children being rescued by several individuals with the help of an NGO in Penang had been viralled on the social media.

-- BERNAMA