PUTRAJAYA, March 1 — The Magistrate’s Court here today allowed the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to remand a reporter for investigations over alleged bribery claims involving RM20,000.

In a statement today, the MACC said it had detained this reporter over suspicion of soliciting and receiving bribes of around RM20,000 in exchange for retracting an uploaded article and not to further write about a foreign worker agency. The agency was alleged to be part of a syndicate.

"Order for remand for four days until March 4, 2025 towards the suspect was issued by Magistrate Beveniyah R Jothi, after an application made by MACC at the Magistrate’s Court in Putrajaya, this morning,” the statement said.

In this statement, the MACC did not name the news portal or the reporter.

However, Malaysiakini had previously confirmed that its reporter B Nantha Kumar was detained by MACC last night.

The reporter has not been charged for any offence in court, and remand orders are usually issued to enable investigators to further detain a person and to have more time to complete investigations.

MACC chief Tan Sri Azam Baki 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.

Earlier today, Malaysiakini in a news report on its website said it was shocked by the allegation against its journalist, and that it would issue a statement once more information is available and that it would also give its full cooperation to the authorities.

Malaysiakini also reported lawyer Rajsurian Pillai as saying he had spoken to Nantha, who had explained what had happened.