SEREMBAN, MALAYSIA: A 38-year-old single mother from Nilai rued the day she allowed her two young daughters to go shopping with a former neighbour when he allegedly raped them.

The man, in his 40s, whom the girls fondly called pakcik (uncle), had also given them RM76 to buy their silence.

The incident happened last Friday when the man turned up at the girls' home at 7am and asked their mother's permission to take the sisters, aged seven and nine, out for shopping.

The mother, who has five other children, did not suspect anything and allowed them to go with him to Nilai.

The man had promised to send the girls back by noon.

Seremban district police chief ACP Saiful Azly Kamaruddin said the man kept his word and returned with the two girls at noon.

Later at night, the girls told their mother they were experiencing pain in their private parts and when pressed further, told her the man had raped them.

"The horrified mother upon checking saw swelling and bruises on her children's groin area," he said.

The girls then told their mother the man had taken them to an apartment in Nilai where he allegedly raped them.

The man also gave the older girl RM50 and her younger sister RM26.

The mother then desperately tried to get in touch with the man, who had moved out of the housing area two years ago, but failed.

"She was at a loss at what to do because she trusted the man so much and couldn't accept the fact that he betrayed her," he said.

ACP Saiful Azly said the mother did not a lodge a police report until Tuesday, as she wanted to get in touch with the man first.

He said both girls had been sent for a medical check-up, although the alleged rape was reported four days late.

The girls were still traumatised by the incident, he added.