AMPANG: Former national road cyclist Nor Effandy Rosli has claimed trial in the sessions court here to a charge of sexually harassing a teenage girl last year.
The 1998 Commonwealth Games silver medallist pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to him before judge Norshila Kamarudin.
Nor Effandy, 58, was accused of committing harassment with sexual intent by massaging the victim’s thighs, breast, and buttocks at the Fun D Cycle Point bicycle store in Taman Desa Keramat.
He was the victim’s cycling coach when the incident allegedly took place in June 2024, when the girl was 15 years old.
The charge was framed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, read with Section 16(1) of the same Act for being in a relationship of trust with the victim.
He faces up to 20 years in prison and a whipping, if convicted.
Section 16(1) of the Act provides for an additional jail term of no more than five years and at least two strokes of the rotan.
During mitigation, his lawyer Hamdan Hamzah requested bail of RM5,000, saying the accused, who works as an assistant enforcement officer with Kuala Lumpur City Hall, only earns around RM5,000 a month.
Hamdan added that the accused is his family’s breadwinner and has four children.
Deputy public prosecutor Nadiah Malek Fauzie however suggested that bail be fixed at RM15,000.
Norshila set bail at RM8,000 with one surety and ordered Nor Effandy to surrender his passport to the court. She also fixed Aug 1 for the submission of documents.
