KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysiakini journalist B Nantha Kumar is set to be charged at the Shah Alam Sessions Court this Friday over allegations of receiving a RM20,000 bribe.
Nantha, who has denied the accusation, was informed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) this afternoon that he would face charges.
“I am confident that I will be proven innocent. This is an attempt to silence me and to stop me from further exposing corruption,” he said, as quoted by Malaysiakini.
Malaysiakini executive editor RK Anand reaffirmed the news portal’s support for Nantha, stressing that he remains innocent until proven guilty.
“We are also conducting internal inquiries with external parties into the matter and will make our findings public,” Anand said.
He highlighted Nantha’s contributions since joining Malaysiakini in 2018, describing him as an outstanding journalist whose investigative work has resulted in major headlines.
“His fearless reporting on syndicates linked to migrant workers has been instrumental in exposing critical issues,” Anand added.
He also underscored Malaysiakini’s commitment to journalistic integrity, transparency, and ethical reporting.
Previously, the MACC stated that a migrant worker agent had accused Nantha of soliciting a bribe in exchange for not publishing an article on the illegal entry of foreign workers. The operation led to his arrest while he was allegedly in possession of RM20,000.
Initially, it was believed that his arrest was linked to a report he published on 22 February, which alleged that a retired immigration officer was facilitating syndicates bringing in Pakistani migrant workers.
However, the MACC later clarified that Nantha was arrested specifically for receiving a bribe, an offence under Section 16 of the MACC Act 2009.
Nantha maintains that he was investigating a “Fly” syndicate operating at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), which reportedly falsifies immigration exit and entry stamps for foreign workers.
His reports had implicated various individuals, including Pakistani agents, and had drawn the attention of senior government officials. – March 12, 2025