GEORGE TOWN (Malaysia) A 40-YEAR-OLD odd-job worker was charged with the murder of a daughter five years ago - and with committing incest with another daughter in February.

Throughout the two hours when he was inside the dock in the magistrate's court on Tuesday, the man kept nodding and shaking his head and turning to look to his left and right.

The man is alleged to have murdered his own child, whose birth was never registered, at their apartment in Medan Angsana 1, Bandar Baru Air Itam here, between 7am and 7pm on Nov 11, 2004.

No plea was entered and bail was not offered as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code carries a mandatory death sentence upon conviction. In view of his lack of response to the charge, DPP Tan Gin Han applied to the court for the man to be sent for psychiatric evaluation.

Noor Aini ordered him to be sent to Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta for observation for a month, and fixed June 12 for mention.

He was then charged with committing incest with a teenage daughter at a men's toilet in Kompleks Farlim Air Itam, at 12.30pm on Feb 7. The underage victim's name and age were not published to protect her identity.

Incest is punishable under Section 376B of the Penal Code with a jail term of between six and 20 years and with whipping.

The man again did not respond to the charge and the court fixed the same date for mention. -- THE STAR