JOHOR BARU (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - A Malaysian single mother has been charged at the Johor Baru Magistrate's Court with murdering her two-year-old daughter.

Nurul Shamira Mazlan, 22, is accused of intentionally causing the death of her only child, Nur Shahana Abdus Quddus, who died at Sultan Ismail Hospital on Jan 13.

She nodded her head after the charge was read out to her in front of magistrate Rashidah Baharom on Wednesday (Jan 22).

According to the charge sheet, Nurul Shamira, who is unemployed, committed the offence between Jan 5 and Jan 11, between 11am and 12pm at an apartment along Jalan Kempas Indah in Taman Kempas Indah.

The accused is charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

No plea was recorded and Ms Rashidah then set Feb 24 for the next mention of the case pending chemistry and post-mortem reports.

Deputy public prosecutor Benedict Choong Kai Qi prosecuted while the accused was represented by lawyers Mohd Norazihan Adnan, Muhammad Ashraff Mohd Diah and Jack Sumatra.

Last Wednesday, Nur Shahana's grandmother, Madam Aslindah Md Sahat said she could not stop feeling guilty for not heeding the bruises on the toddler.

The 49-year-old said that among her 16 grandchildren, she was the closest to Nur Shahana.

"She referred to me as mama while my other grandkids call me nenek (grandmother). I am still reeling from her death and heartbroken that my sweet granddaughter is no more."