The 45-year-old pleaded not guilty after the three charges were read before judge Jean Sharmila Jesudason, Berita Harian reported.

He was charged with raping the girl when she was 12 in the master bedroom of a house in Batu Gajah in December.

He was also charged with two counts of sexually assaulting the victim, the third of six siblings, at the same location.

The rape charge was framed under Section 376(3) of the Penal Code which provides for eight to 30 years in prison and at least 10 strokes of the rotan, upon conviction.

The other two charges were filed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2019, read with Section 16(a) for being a person in a relationship of trust.

If convicted of the sexual assault charges, the accused could face a maximum of 25 years in prison and whipping.

Deputy public prosecutor Qurratu’aini Khalifah said the accused should not be allowed to post bail since he lived in the same house as the victim, but asked the court to set a RM30,000 amount if it did decide to allow bail.

Lawyer Farhan Ahmad Fadzil appealed for a lower bail amount, saying his client earned a RM1,800 monthly pension as a veteran and is the family’s breadwinner as his wife is unemployed.

The court fixed bail at RM21,000 and ordered the accused not to approach the victim or witnesses, and to report to the police every month until the disposal of the case.

The judge fixed Oct 18 for case mention.