Thousands pay last respects to Karpal Singh

Former DAP chairman cremated in Penang, family members expected to scatter ashes at sea today

GEORGE TOWN: Thousands of people gathered at the Dewan Sri Pinang here yesterday to pay their last respects to the late Karpal Singh Ram Singh who died in a road accident last Thursday.

The hall was filled with an air of sadness as more than 10,000 people from all walks of life arrived as early as 8am to pay their last respects to the man known as the ‘Tiger of Jelutong’.

Members of the public arrived  from 9am, followed by state leaders, the DAP Central Executive Committee, representatives of political parties, professional groups and religious associations.

Penang Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas and his wife Toh Puan Majimor Shariff also paid their last respects.

They were accompanied by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, state executive councillors and DAP leaders.

Sikh religious rites were performed by family members at the Dewan Sri Pinang before Karpal Singh’s remains were placed in a casket wrapped in a piece of cloth depicting a tiger, and carried by his children and close relatives out of the hall.

The funeral procession began at about 11.30am and the hearse bearing the remains of Karpal Singh, 74, proceeded to the Batu Gantung Crematorium, making three “significant stops” for photography sessions.

These stops were at the Penang High Court complex, where Karpal Singh had practised as a lawyer; the Penang State Legislative Assembly building where he began his political career and the St Xavier’s Institution, his alma mater.

The funeral of the late Bukit Gelugor MP was accorded state honours, with the Penang government ordering the state flag to be flown at half-mast from the day of his death to the end of the funeral yesterday.

Relatives, friends, acquaintances and members of the public had gathered at Karpal Singh’s residence at 144A, Jalan Utama here as early as 6am.

A private Sikh religious ceremony was held by family members at about 7am before Karpal Singh’s remains were taken to the Dewan Sri Pinang.

Karpal Singh died in an accident at about 1.10am at Km306.1 of the North-South Expressway near Gua Tempurung, in Kampar, Perak.

His personal assistant, Michael Cornelius, was also killed.

Meanwhile, chants of ‘Karpal Singh’ and ‘Sat Sri Akaal’ (God is victorious in the Punjabi language) resounded when the coffin of Karpal Singh was brought into the Batu Gantung Crematorium here yesterday afternoon.

Family members and relatives unable to contain their sorrow over the passing of the leader fondly known as the ‘Tiger of Jelutong’ were seen sobbing uncontrollably during the cremation process which began at 2.45pm and ended at  3.10pm.

Bernama learnt Karpal Singh’s family members will scatter his ashes at sea today.

Thousands of people from all walks of life thronged the crematorium as early as 10am to bid final farewell.

“The charisma he possessed was very unique, it will be hard to find another person like Karpal Singh and we will fall back on him as a source of inspiration.

“Though his passing is difficult to accept and we are filled with grief, we will forever cherish him and his deeds,” said Lim.

The wake was held at Karpal Singh’s residence at 144A, Jalan Utama here.

Among the dignitaries who paid their last respects during the wake were Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, former Works Minister and currently Malaysia’s special envoy for infrastructure to India and South Asia Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Nancy Shukri.

Karpal Singh became known as the ‘Tiger of Jelutong’ because he was able to win the Jelutong parliamentary seat for five consecutive terms from 1978 before losing it in the 1999 general election.

In the 2004 general election, Karpal Singh bounced back by winning the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat which he held until his death.

His children, Jagdeep, Gobind, Ramkarpal, Mankarpal and Sangeet Kaur solemnly stood by their father’s casket as people paid their respects.

Karpal Singh was bestowed a funeral with state honours by the DAP-led state government.

It was also attended by Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Lim, in his eulogy, said the state government and the people of Penang were saddened over the sudden demise of Karpal Singh and symphatised with his wife, Gurmit Kaur and members of his family.

He said the people lost a fighter who was not afraid to fight for the welfare of the needy to uphold justice.

Karpal Singh who received his Bachelor of Law from the University of Singapore in 1968 was involved in many high profile cases including the second sodomy case of Anwar Ibrahim, who is also Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto chief.

Karpal Singh was also involved in a road accident in 2005 in Penang which caused him to be paralysed from the waist dowm and become wheelchair-bound.

Two of his sons, Jagdeep Singh Deo and Gobind Singh Deo have followed in his footsteps as lawyers and politicians. He has 11 grandchildren. – Bernama