Baby hostage in parang stand-off

MALAYSIA - A teenage housewife could only watch in horror as her husband used their four-month old baby as a human shield in a stand-off with police in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, on Friday.

The 16-year-old spouse's ordeal began after police surrounded their home in the 9am incident.

Her 26-year-old husband, who has convictions for drug-related offences and theft, grabbed their newborn daughter as a human shield when police ordered him to surrender, The New Straits Times reported.

Panicking after being surrounded, the suspect grabbed two parangs from the house before dashing outside and seeking shelter inside a shack about 10m away.

He threatened to harm the baby when officers tried to close in on him, and was brandishing the blades close to the child's head, The Star reported.

He also threatened to slash anyone who dared to come close.

About 15 policemen, including those from the state narcotics division, tried to coax the suspect to hand over the crying infant and surrender.

As the situation worsened, police fired a warning shot into the air, but the suspect refused to budge.

Sharpshooters were then activated.

They shot the man in the legs, causing him to let go of the baby, who slid to the ground unhurt.

Policemen then rushed in to save the infant.

Shot in the left thigh and both ankles, the man was warded at the Bukit Mertajam district hospital and is in stable condition.

Earlier, a police team had raided the house where the suspect was living.

Police said he had been on the run for a while.

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