Karpal Singh
Jelutong | |
---|---|
In office 31 July 1978 – 29 November 1999 | |
Preceded by | Rasiah Rajasingam |
Succeeded by | Lee Kah Choon |
Personal details | |
Born | Karpal Singh s/o Ram Singh Deo 28 June 1940 Punjabi |
Education | St. Xavier's Institution, George Town, Penang |
Born in Penang to
In the courtroom and Parliament, he was a controversial figure. Karpal was suspended from Parliament several times, charged with
Karpal's political career began in 1970 (when he joined the DAP), and he won a seat in the
Early life and education
Born in Georgetown, Penang, Karpal was the son of watchman and herdsman Ram Singh Deo.[2][3] His mother was Kartar Kaur.
Karpal studied at St. Xavier's Institution[3][4] and received his Bachelor of Laws from the National University of Singapore,[2] where he was president of the student union.[3] He was barred from his hostel for protesting the university's decision to mandate certificates of political suitability for incoming students.[3] Karpal said he took seven years to graduate, admitting that he was "playful" and "didn't attend lectures".[2] After failing his final-year courses, the dean made him sit at the front of his classes; according to Karpal, "I couldn't play the fool anymore and I passed my exams accordingly!"[2]
Legal career
He was called to the Penang bar in 1969 and joined a firm in
Death penalty
Karpal was described as a leading opponent of the death penalty in Malaysia,[9] and successfully defended at least ten foreigners on serious drug charges (which have a mandatory death sentence).[4] However, in July 2010 he called for convicted child rapists to receive the death sentence.[10]
Among Karpal's highest-profile cases were his defence of Australian drug trafficker Kevin Barlow, who was
Anwar Ibrahim
Karpal represented former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during Anwar's 1998 sodomy trial.[16] In September 1999, he produced a pathological report confirming high levels of arsenic in Anwar's body and accused authorities of poisoning him: "It could well be that someone out there wants to get rid of him ... even to the extent of murder ... I suspect people in high places are responsible for this situation."[9] The accusation led to Karpal's detention under the Sedition Act in January 2000.[17]
He was the lead defence counsel in Anwar's second sodomy trial, after new allegations in 2008.[18] After a two-year trial, Anwar was acquitted on 10 January 2012;[19] however, the acquittal was overturned two years later.[20]
Political career
Entry into politics
Karpal joined the
In the
In 1989, Karpal accused Deputy Speaker D. P. Vijandran of appearing in pornographic videos.[23] Although the allegations were dismissed due to lack of evidence, Vijandran resigned the following year.[24] In 1992, Karpal produced the alleged videotape in Parliament and gave it to Deputy Speaker Ong Tee Keat.[24] Vijandran was convicted in May 1994 of fabricating evidence in an affidavit seeking a court order to stop his nephew from allegedly distributing pornographic videotapes in which he appeared,[25] but the conviction was overturned in 1998.[26] In 2000, Karpal was ordered to pay Vijandran RM500,000 (reduced to RM100,000 on appeal) in damages for defamation after he accused Vijandran of cheque fraud.[27][28]
Setback
In the 1999 election, Karpal lost the Jelutong parliamentary seat he had held for 21 years, and DAP leader
Return to Parliament
In the
On 7 September, he was sanctioned for "misleading Parliament" after claiming that MPs had to raise their right hand while they took the oath of office on 17 May. A report by the Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Committee gave Karpal three days to apologise or face a six-month suspension.[6][37] He refused to apologise, and served the suspension.[38][39]
Victories and controversy
Karpal retained his seat in the 2008 election with a nearly-20-fold-vote increased majority (21,015 votes).[40] The election saw historic gains for the opposition, who denied the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) a two-thirds majority in Parliament for the first time.[41]
The three major opposition parties formed a coalition (the
In April 2010, he was suspended from Parliament for ten days after he called the speaker a "dictator".[44] In December of that year, he and opposition MPs Anwar Ibrahim, Azmin Ali and Sivarasa Rasiah were suspended for six months. Anwar was suspended for stirring up controversy over government links to APCO Worldwide, while the rest were punished for publicising a report by the Rights and Privileges Committee finding Anwar guilty before the report was presented to Parliament.[45]
In December 2011, Karpal and Penang second deputy chief minister
Political views
Karpal Singh cited
Karpal Singh opposed the idea of Malaysia as an
Reputation
Karpal was a controversial figure, and he and fellow DAP politician Lim Kit Siang were called racial provocateurs.[52] He was nicknamed "the Tiger of Jelutong" by admirers after serving five terms as Jelutong MP.[53] Karpal attributed the nickname to a confrontation with former Malaysian Indian Congress President Samy Vellu when he said to Samy, "he could be the lion, and I could be the tiger, because there are no lions in Malaysia!"[2]
Controversies
He clashed with government parliamentarians and assemblymen during debates. On two occasions in the Penang State Assembly, the speaker called police to have Karpal removed from the chamber.[13] Karpal ordered the police officers out both times, saying that they had no right to be there before walking out on his own.[13]
He criticised the
Karpal served two six-month suspensions from Parliament: in September 2004 for "misleading" Parliament,
Detentions
He and a number of other opposition politicians were detained without trial under the Internal Security Act during Operation Lalang in October 1987 for inciting "racial tension" in Malaysia.[17] Karpal was released for several hours in March 1988 in response to a habeas corpus application before being rearrested and imprisoned until January 1989.[4][57] Amnesty International called him a prisoner of conscience.[17]
Sedition trials
Karpal, four other opposition politicians and the editor of the Harakah Daily (the newspaper published by the opposition
He was again charged under the Sedition Act in March 2009 with threatening to sue the
Personal life
Family
Karpal married Gurmit Kaur, eight years his junior, in July 1970. Gurmit's family, from
Gurmit described Karpal's detention from 1987 to 1989 as a "very big experience", which took a toll on her life because she had to "be strong" for their young children.[8] The initial stage of his disability also deeply upset her.[5] Karpal and Gurmit lived in Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur, from 1994 until his death.[5]
Accident and disability
On 28 January 2005, Karpal was involved in an accident which left him in a wheelchair. A car struck a taxi in which he was seated from behind, severely bruising his thoracic vertebrae. The accident left Karpal with sensory impairment and reduced motor strength, and he was unable to walk or raise his right arm more than a few centimeters.[5][53][55] His seat in the parliamentary chamber was moved to the back row to accommodate his wheelchair.[53]
Death
In the early hours of 17 April 2014, Karpal died in a car crash on the North–South Expressway E1 near Gua Tempurung, Perak. His personal assistant, Michael Cornelius, was also killed in the accident. Ramkarpal (Karpal's son and one of the minivan's five occupants) and an Indonesian maid believed to have been employed by Karpal were injured.[64] The driver of the minivan was injured as well. Karpal's Toyota Alphard collided with the right side of a slow-moving, five-tonne Mitsubishi Canter lorry carrying cement, steel, and tiles. Although the lorry driver (identified as Abu Mansor Mohd) tested positive for cannabis, it was uncertain if he was under influence at the time of the accident.[65] According to Bukit Aman traffic-police chief SAC Mohd Fuad Abdul Latiff, road conditions and the weather were good at the time of the accident.[65]
Karpal's funeral was held on 20 April 2014 with full state honors in Penang, attended by his Family, Prime Minister Najib Razak and other mourners.[66] His body reached the Batu Gantong Crematorium, George Town, Penang at 1:35 pm and was cremated after thousands of mourners chanted his name.[67] His son, Gobind, memorialised him on 5 May during the last of a series of tributes.[68]
Memorials, awards and accolades
On 19 April 2014, two days after his death, the IJM Promenade in Lebuh Sungai Pinang was renamed Karpal Singh Drive (Persiaran Karpal Singh).[69] The Full Biography: Karpal Singh, Tiger of Jelutong by Tim Donoghue, published in 2014 by Marshal Cavendish International, is an updated edition of Donoghue's Karpal Singh: Tiger of Jelutong which published prior to his death.[70] Karpal received the Glory of India Award of Excellence in 2011, and was one of the top 10 NRI Newsmakers of 2008.[71][72]
Election results
Year | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1974 | P007 Alor Setar, Kedah | Karpal Singh Ram Singh ( DAP )
|
9,450 | 41.32% | Oo Gin Sun (MCA) | 13,420 | 58.68% | 23,939 | 3,970 | 61.24% | ||
1978 | P043 Jelutong, Penang | Karpal Singh Ram Singh ( DAP )
|
23,606 | 51.33% | Lee Him (Gerakan) | 19,985 | 43.45% | 47,308 | 3,621 | |||
Yeap Ghim Guan (SDP) | 2,401 | 5.22% | ||||||||||
1982 | Karpal Singh Ram Singh ( DAP )
|
29,099 | 55.21% | Ooi Ean Kwong (Gerakan) | 23,603 | 44.79% | 53,870 | 5,496 | 75.77% | |||
1986 | P046 Jelutong, Penang | Karpal Singh Ram Singh ( DAP )
|
25,932 | 62.09% | Lim Boo Chang (Gerakan) | 15,833 | 37.91% | 42,723 | 10,099 | 71.34% | ||
1990 | Karpal Singh Ram Singh ( DAP )
|
27,426 | 60.05% | Ooi Ean Kwong (Gerakan) | 18,248 | 39.95% | 46,515 | 9,178 | 74.87% | |||
1995 | P049 Jelutong, Penang | Karpal Singh Ram Singh ( DAP )
|
21,896 | 49.84% | Rhina Bhar @ Rani Raj Pal (Gerakan) | 21,613 | 49.19% | 44,922 | 283 | 75.05% | ||
Lim Cheak Kow ( PBS )
|
425 | 0.97% | ||||||||||
1999 | Karpal Singh Ram Singh ( DAP )
|
20,716 | 49.08% | Lee Kah Choon (Gerakan) | 21,491 | 50.92% | 43,239 | 775 | 72.82% | |||
2004 | P051 Bukit Gelugor, Penang | Karpal Singh Ram Singh ( DAP )
|
22,529 | 51.44% | Lim Boo Chang (MCA) | 21,268 | 48.56% | 44,618 | 1,261 | 74.21% | ||
2008 | Karpal Singh Ram Singh ( DAP )
|
35,140 | 71.33% | Koay Kar Huah (MCA) | 14,125 | 28.67% | 50,553 | 21,015 | 77.05% | |||
2013 | Karpal Singh Ram Singh ( DAP )
|
56,303 | 80.55% | Teh Beng Yeam (MCA) | 13,597 | 19.45% | 70,683 | 42,706 | 86.31% |
Year | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1991 | N09 Prai | Karpal Singh Ram Singh ( DAP )
|
V Muthusamy (MIC) |
Honours
- Penang :
- Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of State (DUPN) – Dato' Seri Utama (2020–posthumously)[76][77]
See also
References
- The Malay Mail. Retrieved on 21 April 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Vengadesan, Martin (23 July 2010). "This Tiger's still roaring". The Star. Archived from the original on 26 July 2010. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- ^ ISSN 1823-8424.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Vatikiotis, Michael (1993). "A Malaysian who dared sue a king". Far Eastern Economic Review. 156 (20): 78. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f "His pillar of strength". The Star. 10 September 2006. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- ^ Democratic Action Party. Archived from the originalon 30 December 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
- ^ Sharmila, Joane (April–June 2014). "A tribute to Karpal Singh (1940–2014); Malaysian Bar". Praxis. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ a b c "Durable and obdurate". The Star. 25 July 2010. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- ^ a b c d "About Karpal Singh". Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada. Archived from the original on 14 November 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
- ^ "Karpal cadang perogol kanak-kanak dihukum mati" (in Malay). Malaysiakini. 31 July 2010. Archived from the original on 7 October 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ Hiett, Peter (7 July 1986). "Brian Chambers and Kevin Barlow executed in Malaysia". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- ^ Dover, Bruce (28 July 1985). "No effort spared' in bid to save heroin convicts". The Sunday Mail.
- ^ a b c d Petersen, Don (6 November 1986). "The man who fought the hangman". The Courier-Mail.
- ^ Baker, M. (8 September 1988). "Lorraine's long, lonely wait on Malaysia's death row". Herald Sun.
- Agence France Presse. 27 May 1996.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-85743-133-9.
- ^ a b c Paul Gibson (18 June 2002). https://web.archive.org/web/20080304130748/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA20020618035. Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). New South Wales: New South Wales Legislative Assembly. col. 3263. Archived from the original on 4 March 2008.
{{cite book}}
:|archiveurl=
missing title (help) - ^ Irdiani Mohd Salleh (3 June 2011). "Anwar applies for new trial and judge". Local p. 14.
- ^ Allard, Tom (10 January 2012). "Malaysia's Anwar acquitted". The Age. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
- ^ "Malaysia jails Anwar Ibrahim for five years for sodomy". BBC News. 7 March 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
- ^ Shazwan Mustafa Kamal (28 June 2010). "At 70, Karpal says won't close shop". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 3 July 2010. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- ^ "Karpal Singh". Archived from the original on 3 January 2012. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
- ^ "Porn row". The Independent. 22 December 1989. p. 8.
- ^ a b Kalimullah Hassan (21 July 1992). "Tape shows former Deputy Speaker in lewd acts: DAP". The Straits Times.
- ^ "Former MIC leader in sex-tape case weds in India". The Straits Times. 10 June 1995.
- ^ "Vijandran acquitted on perjury charge after appeal". New Straits Times. 25 August 1998. p. 6.
- ^ "RM900,000 in damages for Vijandran". New Straits Times. p. 4.
- ^ Ruslaini Abbas (4 August 2000). "Vijandran-Karpal Singh suit: Damages reduced to RM100,000". New Straits Times.
- ^ "Kit Siang: I will not cling to post". New Straits Times. 9 December 1999. National p. 10.
- ^ Loh, Deborah (1 February 2010). "Karpal on the DAP". The Nut Graph. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- ^ Pereira, Brendan (3 December 1999). "Out: Kit Siang as DAP chief". The Straits Times.
- ^ Patvinder Singh; Abdul Razak Ahmad (3 December 1999). "Kit Siang quits as sec-gen of DAP, elected chairman". New Straits Times. p. 1.
- ^ Chong, Chee Seong (3 December 1999). "DAP to take Pas to court if hudud is implemented". New Straits Times. National p. 10.
- ^ "Election results 2004: Penang". The Star. Archived from the original on 9 January 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ "Election 2004 Results". The Star. Archived from the original on 8 January 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
- ^ "Confirmed: Guan Eng is DAP leader". Malaysiakini. 4 September 2004. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ Lim Si Cheng, Deputy Speaker (7 September 2004). "Penyata Rasmi Parlimen" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Malaysia: Dewan Rakyat. col. 102.
- ^ a b "'MP-in-exile' Karpal will not apologise". Malaysiakini. 7 September 2004. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ "Karpal Singh willing to serve out suspension". New Straits Times. 10 September 2004. Nation.
- ^ "Election results 2008: Penang". The Star. Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ "Malaysia PM rejects calls to quit". BBC News. 9 March 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ "PKR, PAS, DAP to form Pakatan Rakyat". The Star. 1 April 2008. Archived from the original on 6 May 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ "Pakatan forms shadow parliamentary committees". The Star. 2 July 2009. Archived from the original on 5 July 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ V. Vasudevan (8 April 2010). "Karpal booted out for calling speaker a dictator". New Straits Times. FindArticles.com. Retrieved 9 June 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "Anwar, three Pakatan MPs, suspended for six months". The Star. 16 December 2010. Archived from the original on 17 December 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ a b Yow, Hong Chieh (24 December 2011). "Karpal wants Ramasamy to quit over plot allegations". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 8 January 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
- ^ Lisa J. Ariffin (26 December 2011). "Ramasamy blames The Star for latest row with Karpal". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 7 January 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
- ^ Lee, Regina (8 January 2012). "Karpal, Ramasamy end feud". The Star. Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
- ^ "All in the name of fair distribution of power". New Straits Times. 8 December 2008. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ Shazwan Mustafa Kamal (10 June 2010). "No Islamic state for DAP, says Karpal". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 3 January 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- ^ G. Vinod (15 June 2011). "Karpal raps two NST journalists". Free Malaysia Today. Archived from the original on 18 June 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
- ISBN 978-983-3782-20-8.
- ^ a b c "I will walk again". The Star. 26 September 2006. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- ^ a b "Dewan turns into a 'zoo' over seating position, name-calling". The Star. 1 May 2008. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ a b Azmi Anshar (21 May 2008). "Dewan Dispatches: The Tiger bites the bullet". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 8 June 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ Rahmah Ghazali (23 October 2008). "Karpal slapped with two-day suspension". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ "Malaysia suspends top judge who criticized Prime Minister". The Globe and Mail. 7 June 1988.
- ^ "Opposition leaders, editor arrested". BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. Bernama. 14 January 2000. FE/D3737/S1.
- ^ a b Charles, Lourdes; Lee, Yuk Peng (16 March 2009). "Karpal to be charged for sedition against Perak Sultan". The Star. Archived from the original on 20 March 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- ^ "Malaysian MP on sedition charges". BBC News. 17 March 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ Nurbaiti Hamdan; Goh, Lisa (11 June 2010). "Karpal Singh acquitted of sedition against Sultan of Perak". The Star. Archived from the original on 14 June 2010. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- ^ Chooi, Clara (20 January 2012). "Appeal Court reverses Karpal's sedition acquittal, orders defence". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 22 January 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
- ^ Lim, Ida; Moses, Lazareen Thaveethu (29 March 2019). "Federal Court posthumously acquits Karpal Singh of sedition (VIDEO) | Malay Mail". www.malaymail.com. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
- ^ "Karpal killed in car crash". Free Malaysia Today. 17 April 2014. Archived from the original on 17 April 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
- ^ a b "Karpal killed in car crash". Free Malaysia Today. 17 April 2014. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
- ^ "Full state honour at Indo-Malaysian leader Karpal Singh's funeral". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
- ^ Chow, Tan Sin (20 April 2014). "Karpal Singh cremated after emotional farewell". The Star (Malaysia). Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ Sue-Chern, Looi (6 May 2014). "A Malaysia where all Malaysians are equal, that's the perfect tribute to Karpal, says Gobind". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 9 May 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ "Penang promenade to be named Karpal Singh Drive". The Star. 20 April 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ISBN 9789814516709.
- ^ "Karpal Singh Ram Singh v Public Prosecutor" (PDF). Criminal Appeal No: W-05-78-03/2014. 3 August 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
- ^ "The Top 10 NRI Newsmakers of 2008". 28 December 2008. Archived from the original on 15 February 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2016 – via The Economic Times.
- ^ "KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM KE-12". semak.spr.gov.my. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ "KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM - PARLIMEN". resultpru13.spr.gov.my. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ "DAP announces SDR. Karpal Singh as its candidate in the Prai by-election « Pursuit of a Malaysian Dream". 7 July 1991.
- ^ "The late Karpal Singh heads Penang awards list". The Star Online. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
- The Malay Mail. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
External links
- Official website
- Karpal Singh – Official Democratic Action Party profile