Negligent parents or childcare provider can be charged under the Child Act 2001, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim said.

She said if convicted, they could be sentenced to a maximum fine of RM20,000 or 10 years' jail, or both.

"There are so many cases of childcare negligence of late, including leaving a child in a car... parents have yet to learn the lesson, we hope this incident will be an important lesson and that it will not recur."

She said this in response to the death of the three-year-old girl after she was accidentally left alone by her mother for five hours in a car parked at a secondary school compound in Subang Jaya near here on Thursday.

Nawal Iris Samsudin, who fell asleep in the back seat, was believed to have suffocated to death after being left in the car, with the engine off and all the windows shut, for five hours since about 11am.

The girl's mother, Nor Zatusy Hazwa Abdul Rahim, 32, found the lifeless body of her daughter when she returned to the car to go home at 5.30pm.

Police to record statement

"Yes, accident can happen to anyone anywhere, but we have to keep reminding the parents and childcare providers to be cautious. I'm deeply saddened by the incident," she said.

While expressing sympathy to the family, Rohani said the ministry would discussed with the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) on the possibility to introduce new modules in the LPPKN's parenting course in a bid to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

Meanwhile, police will duly record statements from the parents of three-year-old who died of heat stroke.

Subang Jaya police chief ACP Yahaya Ramli said police had not summoned the couple as they were still in trauma over the incident.

- Bernama