Abdul Halim Ismail, 37, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read before judge Hazeelyah Muhammad, Berita Harian reported.

He was charged with committing physical sexual assault on the student, who was 11 at the time, at a hotel in Port Dickson at around 10pm on June 28 and 29, 2023.

The charges were framed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, read with Section 16 which deals with offenders who have a relationship of trust with the victims.

Under Section 14, the accused faces up to 20 years in jail and a whipping if convicted. Section 16 provides for an additional jail term of up to five years and at least two strokes of the rotan.

Deputy public prosecutor Norazihah Asmuni noted that Halim had also been slapped with charges of sexual assault on children at the sessions courts in Pahang, Perak, and Melaka since 2023.

Lawyer Aliff Aiman Rusli appealed for a lower bail amount, saying Halim had been suspended from his duties without pay since 2023.

The court allowed Halim to post bail at RM10,000 for both charges but ordered him to surrender his passport and report to the nearest police station every month.

Case mention has been fixed for June 9.