Editor’s Note: Former DAP stalwart and chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council, Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy, is expected to be charged at the Butterworth Sessions Court this morning (May 14) with 17 counts of abuse of power during his tenure as chairman of the Penang Hindu Endowment Board (PHEB).
Citing sources, Bernama reported that 13 of the charges are related to the purchase of a golden chariot while the remaining four involve the approval of two educational aid applications and two medical aid applications from the PHEB.
The case was investigated under Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 with the charges framed under Section 409 of the Penal Code.
MY broader concerns to uplift the deprived segments of Malaysian society in general, and the Indian community in particular, drove me to engage in party politics by joining the DAP in 2005.
After becoming Penang’s deputy chief minister II of Penang in 2008 and assuming the chairmanship of the Penang Hindu Endowments Board (PHEB), I found in the Board a state agency that could – to some extent – address the social, cultural and economic issues affecting the Indian community in Penang.
It is common knowledge that the Indian community – mainly comprising the working class – is in a highly disadvantaged position in this country.
This unfortunate reality has been exacerbated by the ethnic and religious discrimination institutionalised by the Malay hegemonic state. In effect, the rights and privileges of Indians are constantly under threat and subject to systemic abuse.
It was against this backdrop that I sought to revamp the PHEB by enhancing its assets and increasing its income to assist the Indian poor.
Political vendetta
Initiatives like the Golden Chariot were introduced to raise public donations while various welfare programmes were launched to help the needy and the sick.
It is, therefore, deeply ironic that I am now being accused of abusing my position as chairman of the Board when my sole objective was to uplift the Indian community in Penang and to mitigate the worst effects of an unjust and abusive political system. Such allegations simply do not make sense.
What does make sense, however, is the view that I am a victim of political vendetta by the Madani government.
The growing disillusionment of the Indian community with this administration is likely the real reason behind the use of state agencies like the MACC to target dissenting voices like mine.
Despite its reformist pretensions, the Madani government has proven to be one of the worst that Malaysians have ever experienced. The fear that the Indian community will abandon it is the primary motivation behind the persecution of leaders like me.
Come what come may, time and hour runs the roughest day (Macbeth). – May 14, 2025
Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
