Malaysia Arrests Journalist Who Exposed Migrant Trafficking, Corruption

Picture: Malaysiakini's newsroom is seen in the capital Kuala Lumpur in 2018. The outlet's journalist B. Nantha Kumar was remanded on allegations of taking a bribe from an agent who dealt with migrant workers. (Photo: Reuters/John Geddie)

In an alert by The Committee to Protect Journalists, the CPJ discusses the arrest of Malaysian journalist B. Nantha Kumar, who exposed a migrant trafficking syndicate and corruption, raising concerns about press freedom and the misuse of laws to intimidate journalists in Malaysia.

The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the arrest of Malaysian journalist B. Nantha Kumar on allegations of soliciting bribes, days after he exposed an alleged migrant trafficking syndicate at the capital’s main airport.

“Corruption and human trafficking are crimes in Malaysia; reporting on these offences is not,” said CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Beh Lih Yi. “Malaysian authorities must ensure B. Nantha Kumar can continue to report safely and that the law is not misused to curtail investigative reporting or to intimidate the media. Journalists must be free to uncover wrongdoing.”

Nantha who has worked for the leading independent news site Malaysiakini since 2018, was detained by anti-corruption authorities on February 28 on allegations that he took a bribe from an agent who dealt with migrant workers.