Ramasamy-led Penang board to convene on executive director issue

GEORGE TOWN – The Penang Hindu Endowment Board (PHEB) will meet soon to discuss the possible termination of its executive director Datuk M. Ramachandran over allegations of acting against the interests of the board.

PHEB chairman P. Ramasamy, who is also Penang’s deputy chief minister II, claimed that Ramachandran had gone on a campaign filled with wild allegations, half-truths and slander, notably to undermine him.

There would be a domestic inquiry while Ramachandran remains suspended pending the convening of a board meeting to discuss his alleged misconduct, Ramasamy said.

Previously, PHEB and Ramachandran had agreed in principle for the latter to retire towards the month’s end, but some serious disagreements and tiffs between the duo led to police reports being lodged.

For the past two days, both Ramasamy and Ramachandran have exchanged accusations against each other after a former journalist, Athi Shankar, posted on his Facebook about the souring of the relationship between the two former government colleagues.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the National Audit Department were reportedly summoned to investigate Ramachandran’s claims of abuse of power and conflict of interests.

Ramasamy said that he was a friend of Ramachandran and trusted him to manage the daily operations of PHEB since 2011, but a series of incidents in the past three years have caused the board to question his agenda and intentions.

Ramachandran has tried to counter the allegations by holding a press conference to clarify the matter. 

It was disrupted by a small mob, forcing him to move the conference elsewhere. A Special Branch police officer on duty acted by calling in reinforcements to pacify the situation.

Ramachandran denied all claims of misconduct levelled at him by Ramasamy.

Last year, Ramachandran had been attacked by a group of assailants with parang, which left him seriously wounded.

Both men have held press briefings to disclose their misgivings.

Meanwhile, some political observers here believed that there is a political agenda behind the quarrel between Ramasamy and Ramachandran.

Some observers reckon that the issue may be related to the upcoming state election, where it remains to be seen if Ramasamy would be given a chance to defend his Prai state seat for the fourth term and hold on to his deputy chief minister post, which he has occupied since 2008, if Pakatan Harapan retains control of Penang. – The Vibes, December 11, 2022