KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22 — Perak state executive councillor (exco) Paul Yong will be charged with rape at the Ipoh Sessions Court tomorrow, Bukit Aman Criminal Investigations Department director Datuk Huzir Mohamed confirmed today.

The case is said to be related to accusations of him raping his former 23-year-old Indonesian maid last month.

"The assemblyman from Tronoh, Perak, will be charged at the Ipoh Sessions Court, under Section 376 of the Penal Code on the morning of August 23,” said Huzir in a brief statement.

A person found guilty of rape can be slapped with a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment and is also subjected to whipping.

This was after Malay Mail reported a source from the Perak public prosecutor’s office as refusing to deny nor confirm the charges, and advised the media to stand-by at the courthouse tomorrow.

Yong, who is in charge of state housing, local government, public transport, non-Islamic affairs and new villages, was accused of raping the Indonesian woman at his house in Meru in a police report filed on July 8.

He has consistently denied the allegation, having previously said he was confident the truth would prevail.

The police arrested Yong the next day and recorded his statement before releasing him on bail.

Medical examinations were performed on both Yong and the Indonesian as part of the investigation.

The Indonesian worker is reportedly now in a "safe house” in Malaysia under the care of the Indonesian embassy.