Magistrate Jamaliah Abd Manap said the court was satisfied that there was a prima facie case against L Prem Anand, 51.

Jamaliah ordered Prem to enter his defence either in a sworn statement or an oral statement in court, or to remain silent.

Prem’s lead counsel E Gnasegaran told the court his client would prepare a sworn statement and that the defence would call “one or two” witnesses.

Jamaliah then set Jan 15 to hear Prem’s defence.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Shafiq Mohd Sazalli prosecuted.

S Rethinakumar and Audrey Wee also represented Prem, who served as a Penang Island Municipal Council member from 2008 to 2013.

On July 18 last year, Prem pleaded not guilty to a charge of outraging the modesty of a 21-year-old woman, under Section 354 of the Penal Code for assault or use of criminal force against a person with intent to outrage modesty.

Prem, who is a well-known Penang DAP grassroots leader and aide to a state assemblyman, is alleged to have committed the offence in a car park of an entertainment outlet at Beach Street here at 11.30pm on July 6, 2017.

If convicted, he faces a maximum 10 years in jail, a fine, whipping or any two of the punishments. Prem is currently out on bail of RM7,000.

In March this year, the victim told the court that Prem had groped her private parts and asked her to perform oral sex or manually stimulate his private part.

The victim said she had refused and that Prem later masturbated onto her leg.