‘Spider-Man’ beggar with girl sparks Malaysia child exploitation probe

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by The StarFebruary 10, 2026 at 04:05 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

Malaysian authorities have launched a child exploitation investigation in Melaka following the discovery of a man dressed as Spider-Man allegedly using a seven-year-old girl to solicit money from tourists. The 50-year-old man, a security guard, claimed the girl was his niece when questioned by Welfare Department officers on Sunday at a petrol kiosk in Cheng. The girl was also dressed in a Spider-Man costume. Officials are verifying the man's claims and prioritizing the child's welfare, given the distance she traveled with the man. The investigation is based on Section 32 of the Child Act 2001, which prohibits exploiting children for begging or commercial gain.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Terengganu state 50% Melaka 60% Kalsom Noordin 70% Malaysia ×280%

Keywords

child exploitation 100% begging 80% spider-man 70% child welfare 70% child act 2001 60% melaka 50% malaysia 50% security guard 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.70

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Malaysia

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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child exploitation begging spider-man child welfare child act 2001 melaka malaysia security guard

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