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March 14, 2025 – Malaysia –
B. Nantha Kumar, a senior journalist with Malaysiakini, pleaded not guilty in the Shah Alam Sessions Court to a charge of accepting a RM20,000 bribe. The charge alleges that Kumar received the bribe from Muhammad Zahid, a Pakistani national, as an inducement to remove an article from the Malaysiakini portal and refrain from further reporting on a foreign worker agency allegedly involved in a syndicate.
The alleged offense took place at a hotel in Shah Alam at approximately 11:45 p.m. on February 28, 2025. Kumar was charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which is punishable under Section 24 of the same Act. If convicted, he faces a prison sentence of up to 20 years and a fine of at least five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
During the court proceedings, Deputy Public Prosecutor Alis Izzati Azurin Mohd Rusdi proposed a bail amount of RM20,000 with additional conditions, including surrendering Kumar’s passport to the court and requiring him to report to the nearest MACC office once a month. She also requested the court to remind the accused not to interfere with witnesses and to refrain from publishing any articles or comments that could affect or prejudice his case in the future.
Kumar’s lawyer, P. Purshotaman, appealed for a lower bail amount of RM5,000, citing his client’s financial responsibilities, including supporting two children aged 18 and 11. He emphasized that Kumar is an award-winning journalist known for exposing syndicates that could threaten national security. Purshotaman asserted that Kumar respects the judicial system and is innocent until proven guilty.
Judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin granted Kumar bail of RM10,000 with one surety. He also ordered Kumar to surrender his passport and report to the nearest MACC office once a month. The court set April 23, 2025, for case management.
The case has garnered attention from press freedom advocates, with concerns about the potential implications for investigative journalism in Malaysia. The outcome of the trial is being closely watched by media organizations and human rights groups.
