A 12-year-old boy drowned in a swimming pool of a hotel in Tanjung Bungah here today.

Ong Jing Jie was with his parents in a pool meant for adults about 10am when the incident occurred about 30 minutes later.

Northeast district police chief, ACP Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said a swimming coach at the pool had earlier reprimanded the victim's parents but his comments were ignored.

"According to the child's parents, the incident happened so fast they did not realise he had drowned," he said in a statement.

He said the family from Skudai, Johor had come for a holiday in Penang.

The body was sent to the Penang Hospital.