Muhammad Rizalman Ismail, Malaysia's former attaché to New Zealand was literally caught with his pants down when he was charged with indecent assault by touching Tania Billingsley in her bedroom while not wearing his lower clothing.

This is an alternative charge offered to the 39-year-old Rizalman at the Wellington High Court, besides two other main charges.

The details of the new charge was made available to Malaysiakini.

The former diplomat is staring at a maximum jail sentence of seven years if convicted.

Rizalman ( photo ) was also charged with burglary by having entered into Billingsley home, and for assaulting her with the intent to commit sexual violation.

For the two charges mentioned above, he is facing a maximum of 10 years in jail for each charge.

Created a diplomatic uproar

Rizalman created a diplomatic uproar when he was charged in May last year.

Instead of having him remain to face charges, Malaysian authorities allowed him to return home to be with his family.

News of him missing from New Zealand created an uproar and the incident was hotly-debated in the New Zealand Parliament and caused some problems to Prime Minister John Key.

Rizalman was then handed to the New Zealand authorities, with two Malaysian military officers accompanying him on a flight from Kuala Lumpur last October.

Following that he was charged again on Monday when he claimed trial at the High Court on the new alternative charge.

Rizalman's hearing is expected to commence in November with a pre-trial case management set in August.