IPOH - A domestic tiff between a teenage Malaysian couple led to the alleged abuse of their five-month-old daughter, police have said.

However, a medical report showed that the baby was not seriously injured.

Acting Perak deputy police chief Mohd Dzuraidi Ibrahim said investigations showed that the 18-year-old father and his 17-year-old wife were going through a divorce, and the resulting argument led to the mother taking her anger out on the baby.

The abuse came to light when a 48-second video, recorded by the baby's grandmother, showed the teenage mother repeatedly slapping and kicking the baby.

In the video, which went viral on social media, the mother could be heard saying "diam" ("shut up") repeatedly while beating the crying baby.

"We have detained the mother. She has no previous convictions and we are waiting for a medical report on her mental state," Senior Assistant Commissioner Mohd Dzuraidi told reporters yesterday. He said the child's grandmother lodged a police report after realising that the video had gone viral.

SAC Mohd Dzuraidi said the teenage mother and her husband were unemployed and living with their respective families.

The baby is now in the care of the mother's family and is being monitored by the state welfare department, he said.

"We will take action against anyone found to have caused injuries to a child," he said.

He added that those found guilty of abusing children could be fined RM20,000 (S$7,500) or jailed for not more than 10 years.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK