Malaysian Investigative Journalist Arrested Amid Bribery Allegations Following Migrant Trafficking Exposé

March 03, 2025 – Malaysia – 

Malaysian journalist B. Nantha Kumar, known for his investigative reporting on migrant trafficking, was arrested on February 28, 2025, by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on allegations of soliciting and receiving a bribe. The arrest occurred shortly after he published an exposé on an immigration syndicate allegedly smuggling migrant workers into Malaysia, implicating a former immigration officer as the mastermind behind operations at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

According to MACC, Kumar allegedly accepted a bribe of 20,000 ringgit (approximately USD 4,500) from an immigration services agent in exchange for not publishing two articles about the smuggling operation. The agency claims that a sting operation was conducted, during which Kumar was apprehended at a hotel in Selangor after allegedly receiving the cash.

Kumar was charged in the Sessions Court in Selangor on March 14, 2025, under the MACC Act 2009. He pleaded not guilty and was released on bail pending trial. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of at least 100,000 ringgit (approximately USD 22,495).

Malaysiakini, the news portal where Kumar has worked since 2018, suspended him with full benefits pending an independent inquiry into the allegations. The outlet has expressed support for Kumar, emphasizing the importance of due process and the need to protect press freedom.

Press freedom organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), have raised concerns about the arrest, suggesting it may be an attempt to intimidate journalists and suppress investigative reporting on corruption and human trafficking.

Kumar maintains his innocence, asserting that he was set up while exposing the migrant worker syndicate. He claims he accepted the envelope, which he believed contained money, with the intention of handing it over to a senior immigration official as evidence of the agent’s wrongdoing.

The case has sparked a broader debate about press freedom in Malaysia, which has seen a decline in global rankings, falling 34 places to 107th in the 2024 Reporters Without Borders index

Reference – 

https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/detail/category/press-releases/article/malaysia-journalist-arrested-for-alleged-bribery#:~:text=Nantha%20Kumar%20was%20detained%20by,of%20migrant%20workers%20into%20Malaysia.

https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/malaysian-journalist-charged-in-court-for-allegedly-taking-bribe-11741921481408.html

Malaysia arrests journalist who exposed migrant trafficking, corruption