An engineer is suspected of beating his girlfriend's child and feeding the eight-year-old rice with soy sauce and fried cockroaches, according to a news report.

The 36-year-old suspect was arrested in Georgetown, Penang, in the wee hours of this morning.

Quoting a source, Sinar Harian said the victim had bruises on both hands, chest and back which were believed to be a result of the beatings.