EMBATTLED former Penang Deputy Chief Minister II, P. Ramasamy, has publicly rejected allegations of corruption levelled against him, asserting that the charges are baseless and politically motivated.
Ramasamy, who is facing 17 counts of corruption in connection with his tenure as a trustee of the Penang Hindu Endowments Board (PHEB) between 2013 and 2019, took to social media following his court appearance in Butterworth to defend his actions and question the motives behind the prosecution.
“Let me state unequivocally: it is utterly inconceivable that I could have made such decisions or disbursed such funds without the Board’s prior knowledge or approval,” he said.
The charges relate primarily to alleged unauthorised payments, including the purchase of a second gold-plated chariot in 2019 and disbursements for welfare and educational assistance.
Ramasamy clarified that the chariot’s procurement was overseen by a sub-committee established by the board due to the urgency of the matter. Payments, he said, were made with the committee’s endorsement and required cheques co-signed by the board’s secretary.
“As for the welfare and educational assistance payments, the board had mandated the secretary and me to approve disbursements in emergency situations. These expenditures were subsequently tabled and endorsed at regular meetings, which were typically held every two months,” he said.
He further pointed to the oversight role of the Auditor General’s Office, which audits PHEB accounts annually before they are submitted to Parliament, calling this a clear sign of “transparency and accountability already embedded in the board’s financial operations.”
“I have no intention of delving too deep into the specifics of the charges, which I view as frivolous and politically motivated,” Ramasamy added. “They appear calculated to derail my efforts in founding the Urimai party (Malaysian Rights Party), which has rapidly gained traction within the Indian community.”
Ramasamy, who resigned from the Democratic Action Party (DAP) in 2023 before launching Urimai, said the broader political context behind the charges cannot be ignored.
“Since my resignation from the DAP and the subsequent launch of Urimai, I have consistently criticised the Madani government and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for their failure to address longstanding issues affecting the Indian community,” he said, citing among other grievances the absence of a Tamil Cabinet minister and the forced relocation of a 130-year-old Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur in March 2025.
He also criticised the “nepotistic elevation” of Nurul Izzah Anwar, the Prime Minister’s daughter, within PKR.
“This is not just a personal battle,” Ramasamy said. “It is a struggle against the abuse of institutional power, and an assertion of the right to political expression in a democratic society.” - May 15, 2025
