Ramasamy said the court case would help the party attract more supporters to Urimai’s cause of championing the plight of the Indian community.

He claimed that his party, which he founded after leaving DAP in 2023, was already being viewed as a threat by the Pakatan Harapan-led coalition.

“They (my rivals) are thinking of how to discredit me,” he told reporters here.

Such a scheme by his political rivals, he said, would backfire.

“Charging me (in court) is actually a blessing because I think Urimai is going to be more popular.”

Earlier, Ramasamy pleaded not guilty to 17 counts of criminal breach of trust involving RM850,000 in Penang Hindu Endowments Board’s funds. He was the board’s chairman from 2010 to 2023.

Last year, the present PHEB commissioners submitted a complaint to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, after highlighting red flags during an audit.

Ramasamy said the charges were politically motivated, claiming that he was likely dragged to court for quitting DAP and setting up Urimai, as well as his continuous criticism of the government.

He also alleged that certain quarters were trying to derail his political career through the charges linked to the 2019 Thaipusam golden chariot purchase and cash aid given to needy individuals during his PHEB chairmanship.

He, however, said PHEB’s decisions were made collectively by the board.

“Every payment had the board’s approval. I’m not the only signatory,” he said.

His lawyer, Shamsher Singh Thind, said the 17 charges were excessive and lacked merit, adding that 13 charges alone were for the 13 transactions made in purchasing the golden chariot.

Shamsher said PHEB’s accounts were audited yearly by the auditor-general and that these had been given clean certificates. He wondered why it took so many years for these “red flags” to be detected.

“These charges are frivolous,” he said.