THE late Dato Seri Utama Karpal Singh was celebrated as a defender of the defenceless, a true Malaysian hero, and a towering figure in the nation during the Special Tribute Forum, “Karpal Singh, 10th Year Remembrance,” at the Marriott Penang Hotel in Gurney Drive today.
Known as the Tiger of Jelutong, he was praised for his fearlessness and unwavering commitment to justice.
The panellists – Lim Guan Eng, national chairman of DAP; Chow Kon Yeow, state chairman of DAP Penang; Kasthuriraani Patto, deputy secretary of International Affairs of DAP; and Ramkarpal Singh, MP of Bukit Gelugor – all paid glowing tributes to Karpal for his legal prowess and political ideals.
Both moderator Steven Sim, vice-chairman of DAP Penang, and emcee Joshua Woo, the Pulau Tikus assemblyman, also spoke highly of Karpal.
DAP veteran Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang, a comrade of Karpal for over 40 years, emphasised that the party and people must remember Karpal’s sacrifices.
“He has inspired many of us. We must carry on his struggles for justice, the rule of law, human rights, and good governance. These are the qualities we must stand for and live by,” Kit Siang said in his speech.
He said the next three years would probably be the most critical for Malaysia, determining whether it will succeed as a world-class nation or end up as a nation of mediocrity.
“The nation needs time to bring about change and reforms. But change and reform we must,” he said.
Chow urged the attendees, who gathered to honour Karpal, to recommit themselves to preserving his visionary ideals for Malaysia, where principles of harmony, prosperity, and freedom transcend barriers of race, religion and background.
“Karpal demonstrated himself to be a leader for all Malaysians, not any particular race.
“Let us embody one of Karpal Singh’s often quoted phrases: You knock out one Karpal Singh, a hundred Karpal Singhs will rise.
“For all those comrades in the party, while there will be never another Karpal Singh, let us get inspired. Even if we can be 20 to 30 per cent of what Karpal Singh was – a strong political figure with a steadfast commitment to change and hope – we will continue his legacy. Let us do our best, especially while we are in government.
“For those comrades in opposition states, may Karpal’s ideals be an inspiration for us to make our mark on the Malaysian political landscape as we move into the future,” Chow said.
Guan Eng said even though Karpal left this world 10 years ago, he remains in his heart.
He described Karpal as a very principled person, fearless to the core.
On matters of national interest, Guan Eng stressed that as long as something is unconstitutional, DAP will not back down.
He added that he got to know Karpal even more deeply when both of them were detained during Operation Lalang.
“It was during this period that I saw the true measure of a man, fighting against all odds.
“One message that he told me: Never give in. They may defeat you, but they cannot take away or crush what you stand for. He never gave up, even in the worst of times.
“We urge everyone to follow the Karpal Singh’s spirit: Never give in.
“He defended everyone, Malays, Chinese, Indians, even PAS. He wanted justice done,” Guan Eng said.
Kasthuri said Karpal and her late father Patto were brothers in arms too.
She recalled that when Karpal spoke in Parliament, he did not have any written notes or points to refer to.
All that was open in front of him was always the Standing Order, the Federal Constitution, and some articles which he would often quote from.
She said the forum tribute today was to honour Karpal for his indomitable spirit and courage to carry on with the quest for justice regardless of the price he had to pay.
“He spoke from his heart and he spoke with a sharp mind in his low growling voice. The entire House would normally go silent when he spoke and the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat often would turn to face him and give him his full attention.
“We admire him for not yielding to threats and retributions. We salute him for placing principles above everything else. We thank him for guiding us and inspiring us to soldier on even when everything seems hopeless, in the firm belief that we will eventually find that light to brighten our lives,” said Kasthuri, adding that Karpal sometimes had a wicked sense of humour.
Ramkarpal thanked DAP Penang for organising the Legacy Walk in the morning and the tribute forum in the afternoon to honour his late father.
He said Karpal was more interested in hard work when he came out into working life, helping the helpless by providing pro bono services.
“He never bowed to higher authorities, judges, senior politicians, or prime ministers. It was in his nature, rooted in his humble beginnings, to defend the defenseless. He was always a champion for the underdog.”
Jagdeep, who also serves as the Penang Deputy Chief Minister II, said Karpal, as a lawyer, had the distinction of arguing cases even in the highest courts in the world, like the Privy Council in the United Kingdom, and courts in other countries, such as Singapore.
Jagdeep said when his father was hurt in an accident, the family braced themselves to be strong, as his father often encouraged them to be.
“My father always said you have to be strong, then we can move forward, no matter what is in front of us. We must never go down on our knees to fear,” Jagdeep told the attendees in his welcoming speech.
Gobind, who also serves as the Digital Minister, reflected on his late father’s diligent work ethic.
“To him, it was about perseverance despite the obstacles.
“He won cases outside of Malaysia that people still speak about today, which necessitated legislative change,” Gobind said in the closing speech at the forum.
He acknowledged the challenges faced by Karpal and others like Kit Siang in politics, particularly when confronted by the might of the government at that time.
“There was every reason for them to give up. But that was exactly what they did not do. As a result of which, we did not just win the state government but also take the Federal Government.
“There are questions about the direction of the Government. We see things unfolding in the next three and a half years.
“But ultimately, when we must always put the nation first, like the example and spirit of Karpal. It is not going to be easy to effect the change that all of us want to see immediately. It will require time, and some may find it difficult to comprehend the process.
“All we need to do is to persevere. We need to invest in hard work, ensure the fight continues and ultimately achieve our goals.”
Towards the conclusion of the tribute forum, Chow presented a souvenir to Datin Gurmit Kaur, the wife of the late Karpal Singh.
This was followed by the laying of flowers by the leaders and participants at the forum as a mark of respect for the late Karpal Singh.
Also present were state DAP secretary and Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying, Jelutong MP RSN Rayer, state exco members Zairil Khir Johari, Lim Siew Khim and Daniel Gooi, former state exco member Datuk Seri Phee Boon Poh, and state DAP assemblymen such as Wong Yuee Harng (Pengkalan Kota), Connie Tan (Seri Delima), Ong Ah Teong (Jelutong), Joseph Ng (Air Itam), and Phee Syn Tze (Sungai Puyu), and Mankarpal Singh, the youngest of Karpal’s five children.
When asked by Buletin Mutiara, Gurmit expressed her gratitude for the support given by DAP Penang, DAP Malaysia and all the attendees.
“I am truly touched. It just feels like Karpal has never left us. I sense his presence here today, just as I have always felt. Today, I am truly reassured that he has never truly left us,” Gurmit said.