The Penang Hindu Endowment Board wants the state education department to clarify claims of sexual harassment against one of its assistant directors.

The board’s chairperson P Ramasamy claimed today the assistant director was recently attacked with a parang and was injured in the incident on Aug 4 at 10pm.

He said police are probing the case but he is concerned on the reason behind the attack.

The assistant director was reportedly promoted his post early this year.

“Many allegations have cropped since the assault and it has been brought to our attention,” Ramasamy told a press conference in Penang.

“Being concerned with the allegations which may affect the image of Tamil schools and its teachers, we have asked the state education department for a thorough investigation into the matter,” said Ramasamy who is also Penang deputy chief minister.

When contacted, the assistant director concerned denied the sexual harassment allegations, asking, 'Where is the evidence?'

“If there is evidence, people can talk and the authorities can investigate. But people are just making this a big issue without evidence,” he told Malaysiakini .

He denied he was attacked over the alleged sexual harassment case, saying he was instead attacked by robbers.

Defended by department director

“I have a good rapport with the state education department and Tamil schools [...] I do not know why they are making these accusations against me,” he lamented.

“If people from the Tamil school have been sexually harassed by me as alleged, please come out and show the evidence,” he stressed.

He said he has spoken to his lawyer and his superior whom he claimed had told him to proceed with legal action.

State education department director Osman Hussain denied there were complaints against the assiant director concerned.

Osman said he had in fact been promoted to the post of assistant director based on his 'excellent performance'.

“Those who accused him should lodge a police report. He is innocent until proven guilty,” Osman told the media.