They made their plea after the charge was read out to them at the Bandar Baru Bangi sessions court before judge Effandi Nazila Abdullah.

They were charged under Section 31(1)(a) of Child Act 2001 and face a jail sentence of up to 20 years’ jail, a RM50,000 fine, or both, a Malay daily reported.

The couple were arrested at their house on Friday morning after police reports were lodged against them. This came after videos showing the woman striking the child went viral.

The victim, a girl, is the child of an Indonesian national who does not possess any documents.

The girl had been under the couple’s care since April as her mother was incapable of looking after her.

The police’s preliminary investigations found that the child, who was said to be hyperactive, was force-fed until she vomited.

Police suspected that she was also beaten with a hanger and a broom, and burnt with a lighter several times.