Bribe allegation: This is my story

From the outset, I want to make it absolutely clear that I did not solicit a bribe. For the record, I neither requested “RM100,000” nor negotiated the amount to settle for “RM20,000”.

This is my story.

On Feb 6, I received information about a “Fly” syndicate operating at KLIA. After conducting my investigation, I published my first report on Malaysiakini on Feb 19.

(The ‘Fly’ syndicate involves falsifying immigration’s exit and entry stamps for foreign workers without their physical presence.)

Despite a police report being lodged, the authorities failed to take firm action.

My second report on Feb 22 exposed the involvement of Pakistani agents in this syndicate. Before publishing, I contacted the two named agents for their comments. One denied involvement, while the other did not respond.

After the report was published, a senior officer from the Home Ministry and a state immigration director reached out to me for further information. I agreed to cooperate.

Based on my own research, I had strong grounds to believe that the state immigration director was not linked to any corrupt activities or syndicates.

On Feb 24, my source informed me that the Immigration Department’s intelligence director (which is not the same person mentioned above) was trying to contact me. I personally went to the Immigration Department’s intelligence department in Putrajaya, left my contact number with an officer, and requested for the director to contact me.

However, I never received any response.

Contacted by agents

I would not have taken the trouble to share my information with these officers if my intention was to solicit bribes from the agents.

On Feb 26, one of the Pakistani agents mentioned in my article contacted me to deny his involvement, and I offered to publish a rebuttal. He claimed that another person had approached him offering to “settle” the matter. I made it clear to him that I had never asked anyone to speak on my behalf.

I later met the two Pakistani agents at a restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, which is registered under the name of a former high-ranking immigration officer.

During our meeting, they took me to a private room where one of the agents claimed that someone had asked for RM400,000 to “settle” the case with the police, MACC, immigration department and Malaysiakini.

They offered me RM50,000 and were prepared to pay me RM20,000 on the spot. I firmly refused and made it clear that I am not for sale.

After that meeting, I immediately went to the state immigration director’s office to discuss the case and compare our evidence. It was clear that these agents were involved in the syndicate, but the director was unable to take action due to a lack of financial transaction records as evidence.

He then asked me to engage with the agents again to help gather stronger evidence. I agreed to act as an “undercover agent” for him.

However, I did not inform my superiors in Malaysiakini about this arrangement because I was worried that they might stop me from proceeding because of the risks involved.

While my editors know me as someone willing to take risks, they have also advised me to be cautious, especially since I am dealing with syndicates that may go to great lengths to silence those who expose them.

I must confess that there were times when I undertook grave risks in pursuit of exposing these syndicates without informing my superiors.

The sting and the trap

I did this because I believe that as an investigative journalist, one must be prepared to take certain actions to uncover the truth. Previously, there were instances where editors rejected my suggestions, deeming them too risky.

On Feb 27, the same Pakistani agent mentioned in the article contacted me again, asking to settle the matter. I told him I was busy and would reach out later. On Feb 28, I called him and arranged a meeting at the Concorde Hotel in Shah Alam. This was based on the understanding that I had with the state immigration director.

Before going, I informed the state immigration director that I was meeting one of the agents and would hand over any evidence to him. I also told him that if I were accused of anything, he needed to back me up. He assured me that he would.

I chose this hotel for two reasons. First, I was covering a news assignment at the same venue attended by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Selangor Menteri Besar Amiruddin Shaari. Second, the hotel is an open area with multiple CCTV cameras, which could provide crucial evidence if the immigration department takes action against these agents.

When we met, the agent asked me to delete the articles about him. (I must clarify that I do not have the authority to delete articles published in Malaysiakini.)

I refused and pretended to be interested in “working together” with him and tried to coax him to give me something that I could hand over as evidence. Instead he handed me an envelope, which I believed contained money, as a bribe. Surprised, I took it either way as evidence to be handed to the state immigration director.

Within seconds, more than a dozen MACC officers confronted me.

Since writing the first article on this new syndicate on Feb 19, I never contacted these agents to ask for a bribe. It was these agents who repeatedly offered to bribe me. If I had wanted to profit out of this article, I could have contacted the “mastermind” before the initial story was published to ask for a hefty sum.

I could have also accepted the bribe offered to me at the restaurant when I met the agents. Furthermore, this meeting had taken place in a private room at the restaurant with no CCTV cameras.

Instead, I chose to meet them at a hotel filled with surveillance cameras, on a day when the prime minister was holding an event there. If I had any intention of accepting a bribe, I would not have selected such a high-profile location.

I have been exposing syndicates related to migrant workers for more than a year, never profiting from them. I have written numerous exclusive articles on these syndicates. Below are some of the articles.

‘Big fish’ in medical visa syndicate still swimming freely: Sources

‘Fly’ syndicate: Suspect names Tok Ayah, DK during probe, says source

EAIC summons ‘Tok Ayah’s’ associate in visa fraud probe – source

Source: Junior officer in medical visa scandal found with RM1 mil assets

Senior immigration officer arrested in ‘fly’ syndicate probe – source

Visa scandal: Source says EAIC requests more details from immigration, cops

‘Counter setting’ syndicate still operating in KLIA – sources

Foreigner punched, yelled at in KLIA’s ‘not to land’ area

Last October, I handed the names of three “big fish” alleged to be masterminding a medical visa and counter-setting syndicate to Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail in Parliament.

That month I was also invited to the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) to share information about a medical visa syndicate. The agency is still conducting an investigation into the medical visa syndicate, particularly in Johor.

Later in December I was contacted by an MACC officer from the strategic communication department to arrange a meeting. I agreed to the meeting at a restaurant in Putrajaya. A senior officer was also present at the meeting. I shared information about a foreign syndicate and the names of cartel members.

In an interview last November, my colleague S. Vinothaa and I reflected on the hazards we faced while reporting, which prompted DAP MP RSN Rayer to call on the government to give us protection.

I was doing my job

Unfortunately, this time, the tables turned, and I was detained just as I was on the verge of exposing a bigger network.

I would like to put it on record that if the authorities had acted against the officer with the 12 foreign passports which I exposed on Feb 19, this syndicate would have been dismantled earlier, making it unnecessary for me to pursue the matter further with the hope of eradicating syndicates that are breaking the law together with the help of those entrusted with enforcing the law.

I deeply regret that this incident has also tarnished Malaysiakini’s reputation, which was never my intention. The last thing I wanted was to bring any harm to the organisation, for which I have the utmost respect.

I sincerely apologise to my colleagues for any distress this may have caused. At the same time, I would also like to thank Malaysiakini and all others for their support.

During my four-day remand, I was locked up alone in a cell for 15 hours each day, my only entertainment was to play with the mineral water bottle – as in the famous “bottle flip” challenge. Sleeping on the hard floor with only a thin yoga mat was physically punishing.

The incident had taken an immense toll on my wife and our two daughters as well.

But my conscience remains clear. I was arrested for doing my job.

Editor’s note: This is Nantha’s account of the events leading up to his arrest on March 1.

Malaysiakini will nevertheless investigate the truth of the matter and has set up an independent panel of experts to ensure a fair process. The findings of the inquiry will be made public, subject to legal guidance.

Malaysiakini recognises that since joining the news portal in 2018, Nantha has been an outstanding journalist, producing numerous exclusives that have made headlines. His fearless reporting on syndicates linked to migrant workers has been instrumental in exposing critical issues.

Malaysiakini remains steadfast in its commitment to journalistic integrity, transparency, and ethical reporting – principles that have guided us since our founding. We believe in accountability, fairness, and the relentless pursuit of truth.

Pending the independent panel’s findings, Malaysiakini has suspended Nantha with full benefits.

Our inquiry will be thorough, just, and firmly aligned with the values we uphold.