Sources from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Attorney-General’s Chambers confirmed that the charges will be brought under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years, whipping, and a fine, if found guilty.

Thirteen of the charges are believed to be related to the procurement of a gold-plated chariot for the Thaipusam celebration by the Penang Hindu Endowments Board (PHEB) in 2019, during Ramasamy’s tenure as chairman.

The remaining four charges are said to involve charitable payments made to external parties – two for educational sponsorships and two for medical expenses.

Earlier today, Ramasamy’s lawyer, Shamsher Singh Thind, said the 76-year-old will be brought before the sessions court in Butterworth to face charges under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act 2009 for alleged abuse of power.

Ramasamy has denied all allegations, describing the case as politically motivated.

Last year, MACC opened an investigation into the 2019 purchase of a gold-plated chariot for RM800,000 following a complaint that PHEB had overpaid for substandard work.

Ramasamy, who chaired PHEB from 2010 to 2023, insisted that it was always gold-plated, not solid gold. He also said the deal went through an open tender, board approvals, and auditor-general oversight.

Last August, it was reported that current PHEB chairman RSN Rayer had submitted PHEB’s findings from an internal forensic audit to MACC. Rayer claimed that the audit had uncovered several red flags but did not elaborate on them.

On Dec 4 last year, Ramasamy was barred from leaving the country. He was then called to give a statement at the MACC office.