KUCHING: Police here have classified the case of missing four-year-old boy Eric Chang Wei Jie as murder.

       District police chief Asst Comm Ahsmon Bajah said the case was now being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder while it had earlier been investigated under Section 31 (1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 for neglect or abandonment.

       "Two suspects, namely a babysitter and her husband, have been arrested and will be remanded for further investigation.

       "A search is being conducted around the Muara Tebas River and the vicinity, with the assistance of the Kuching Region 5 marine police, Fire and Rescue Department, and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA),” he said in a statement here Sunday (March 13) night.

       Eric was reported missing from a house in the Bintawa residential area here on March 7.

       Meanwhile, ACP Ahsmon also advised the public not to speculate or jump to any conclusions about the case as the investigation was ongoing. – Bernama