KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 – Malaysiakini journalist B Nantha Kumar has filed a police report against a Pakistani agent, alleging him of bribery attempt, which had led to the reporter being arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Malaysiakini reported that Nantha denied soliciting or accepting any bribe from the agent while investigating an alleged migrant worker trafficking syndicate called “Fly”.
“When I met him about 11.10pm at the Concorde Hotel in Shah Alam to discuss my investigation into [the alleged] ‘Fly’ syndicate, he passed me a brown envelope in an attempt to persuade me to cooperate with him in the syndicate,” the police report read, referring to the agent.
“I had taken the envelope as evidence to prove that he tried to bribe me. This was because a state immigration director had asked me to help the department collect evidence against several Pakistanis whom they suspect were involved in fly syndicate activities.”
Nantha stated that before he could report the agent’s actions to the Immigration Department, he was arrested by the MACC and later remanded for four days over bribery allegations.
He instead urged the police to investigate the agent’s background, alleging that the agent had confessed to previously being jailed in Malaysia for a human trafficking offence.
Malaysiakini said the “Fly” syndicate refers to a scheme that falsifies immigration status, using fake exit and entry stamps to clear overstayers or blacklisted individuals.
Malay Mail is seeking additional comments from the Dang Wangi police headquarters, where the report was lodged.
MACC chief Tan Sri Azam Baki previously confirmed the reporter’s detention and said around RM20,000 cash had been seized, and said the case is being investigated under the MACC Act 2009’s Section 16(a)(A).
Section 16(a)(A) covers the offence of soliciting or receiving or agreeing to receive bribes as an inducement or reward for doing or not doing certain actions, and can be punished upon conviction with a maximum jail term of 20 years, and a fine of RM10,000 or five times the sum of the bribe, whichever is higher.
