Promenade renamed Karpal Singh Drive

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Gobind Singh Deo (third right) shaking hands with government leaders who are paying their last respects to his father. — Bernama photo

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang state government plans to rename the promenade in Sungai Pinang to Persiaran Karpal Singh in honour and memory of the late lawyer.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said that he will make the proposal at the State Executive Council (Exco) meeting next week.

“The IJM promenade will be named as Karpal Singh Drive. Penangites will know the IJM promenade which is next to the first bridge, beside the sea,” he told a press conference at Karpal’s residence, here yesterday.

Karpal,74, died in a road accident at Km306.1 of the North-South Expressway near Gua Tempurung, Kampar, Perak on Thursday.

Also killed in the 1.10am accident, involving an MPV and a lorry, was Karpal’s personal assistant Michael Cornelius,39.

Hailing from Vellore, Tamil Nadu in southern India, Michael leaves behind a wife, a son and a daughter while his body is expected to be flown back to India for burial.

Karpal Singh with his personal assistant, Michael Cornelius in a file photo.— Bernama photo

Karpal’s widow, Gurmit Kaur said she was very grateful to the state government for announcing that the promenade in Sungai Pinang would be named after her late husband.

“The Tiger of Jelutong will have a road named after him in Jelutong. This  appreciation by the state government will make not only YB (Yang Berhormat) Karpal proud to be a Penangite, but also make me and my whole family proud,” she added.

Meanwhile, Karpal’s residence continued to be the focus of the public who came to pay their last respects to the late lawyer.

Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow, who is the head of the state funeral committee for Karpal Singh, advised members of the public wishing to pay their last respects at Dewan Seri Pinang here today to come early.

“Yesterday, we set the time at 9am but we’ve brought it forward to allow people more time,” he told reporters after surveying the preparations for the state honours funeral ceremony for the late lawyer and Bukit Gelugor member of parliament at Dewan Seri Pinang, here yesterday.

He said about 2,000 to 3,000 people are expected to attend the ceremony.

Chow requested representatives from non-governmental organisations, associations, religious bodies and political parties, who wished to pay their last respects tomorrow, to register themselves between 8.30am and 9.30am.

He added that 1,000 motorcyclists would also be accompanying the funeral procession.

On Friday, Chow announced that the funeral procession of the late Karpal Singh will make three ‘significant stops’ on its way from the Dewan Sri Pinang to the Batu Gantung crematorium.

The stops will be at the Penang High Court complex, where Karpal Singh had practised law; the Penang State Legislative Assembly Hall, where he began his political career; and the St Xavier’s Institution, his alma mater.

The procession is scheduled to start at 11.30am and expected to reach the final destination at the Batu Gantung crematorium at 1pm. — Bernama