SHAH ALAM, March 14 — A reporter has claimed trial at the Sessions Court here after he was charged with soliciting RM20,000 in bribes from a Pakistani national.

B Nantha Kumar from Malaysiakini pleaded not guilty when the charge under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009 was read out to him.

Under the sole charge, Nantha Kumar was accused of soliciting RM20,000 in exchange for not uploading or publishing any news articles on an alleged foreign worker cartel syndicate involving Pakistanis on the news website.

He is accused of committing the offence around 11.45pm at a hotel here in Selangor on February 28.

If convicted, Nantha Kumar faces a fine of not less than five times the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher, and imprisonment of up to 20 years.

Judge Datuk Nasir Nordin granted Nantha bail of RM10,000 with one surety.

Nasir also ordered the reporter to surrender his passport to the court pending the disposal of his case and to report to the nearest Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission office monthly.

Lawyer P Purshotaman represented Nantha while deputy public prosecutor Alis Izzati Azurin Mohd Rusdi appeared for the prosecution.

The court fixed April 23 for case management.