KUALA TERENGGANU, MALAYSIA: A terrified mother handed over an RM5,000 (S$2,140) bangle to a robber who held her newborn baby at knifepoint.

Adding to the horror, the intruder flung the baby on to a nearby bed to show he was unhappy with the loot.

Fortunately, the soft matrress cushioned the baby's fall and prevented any injury to the child.

The robber fled when he heard the loud honk of a vehicle outside the house.

The incident occurred at the woman's house in Taman Desa Baru in Tok Jiring near here at about 1.30pm yesterday.

The 24-year-old woman, who works at a university here, was drying diapers outside the house when she heard her month-old baby wailing.

She rushed into the house and was shocked to see a man wearing a visor helmet holding the infant and pointing a knife at the child's neck.

Terengganu acting CID chief Supt K. Manoharan said the robber was believed to have entered the house while the child's mother was outside.

He said the woman screamed upon seeing her baby in the robber's arms and begged him not to harm the child.

Supt Manoharan said the robber ordered the woman to hand over her belongings and not to shout for help.

Fearing for her child's safety, the woman handed over a gold bangle worth RM5,000.

The robber was unhappy with the loot and flung the child onto the bed.

Supt Manoharan said the police had launched a manhunt for the suspect.