KANGAR, MALAYSIA - A man claimed trial at a Sessions Court here to bribing two state soccer players to fix a match in March.

Muhammad Nor Sheikh Ibrahim, 37, denied offering RM15,000 to player Kabwe Kamuzate between 10am and 2pm on March 30 to ensure Perlis lost the match to Selangor.

He also denied offering RM23,000 to Mohd Yusof Ishak on the same day at the same time. The offences are said to have been committed at No 10 Lorong 2 Taman Seri Bakau here.

Muhammad Nor was charged under Section 10 (b) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997, which carries a jail term up to 20 years and a fine five times the value of the sum offered or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

Anti-Corruption Agency deputy public prosecutor Nazlyza Mohd Nazri applied for RM6,000 bail for each charge but Muhammad Nor?s counsel Sulaiman Abu Bakar appealed for the bail to be set at RM3,000 for each charge.

Judge Wan Norzanuar Wan Ahmad granted RM5,000 bail for each charge. She also ordered the accused to surrender his international passport.

Wan Norzanuar ordered Muhammad Nor to submit a report on the lost document when Muhammad Nor told the court that he had lost his passport.

Muhammad Nor posted bail.

The case has been fixed for mention on Sept 2.