Karpal Singh- Tiger of Jelutong (1940-2014)
Photo I took from overhead bridge Penang Road leading to Burma Road.
Are the tears of a grieving non-Muslim widow any different from the tears of a grieving Muslim widow? Are the tears and feeling of absolute loss by non-Muslim sons and daughters any different than those of the same who are Muslims?
They are undeniably the same.
It does not
matter if some people took the opportunity from the death of Mr Karpal Singh,
lawyer and MP for Bukit Gelugor to make fun and revel in derisive jubilation. It
only reflects their upbringing. In the
immortal words of Michael Caine in the war movie The Eagle Has Landed- they remind me of something I occasionally
pick up on my shoe in the gutter, very unpleasant on a hot day.
At round
2.33am in the early morning of 17th April, there was a whatsapp
message from Mr V Sivakumar MP who said: jus received a call from someone, said
sdr Karpal met with an accident near Gopeng. Is it true?
The first answer
came from Kahsturi Patto, MP who
answered: Not Sure Yb.
At 2.55am a
message from Gobind Singh MP said:
Just been
informed Mr Karpal and Michael passed away. Driver in serious condition.
Ramkarpal is alive.
I can’t
even begin to imagine the emotions that went through Gobind when he relayed that
message. Utterly devastating.
That was the time when many DAP MPs received news of the passing of Mr Karpal Singh, MP
and his faithful assistant and minder, Michael.
Last week
towards the end of the Parliament session, I caught hold of Mr Karpal at the
exit of parliament chambers. His son, Mr Gobind Singh MP was standing beside
him. I bent forward to touch the arm of Mr Karpal to wish him some pleasantries.
I then shook hands with Mr Gobind and said Hello Puchong to which he answered,
Yes Raub, everything ok?
That was to
be my last encounter with Mr karpal Singh MP, who will forever be iconised as
the Tiger of Jelutong. On a number of previous occasions I came across him when
he alighted from his Alphard helped by the driver and his Michael Cornelius.
I join all conscientious
Malaysians of all races to express the deepest of sadness, sorrow and a feeling
of loss over the man known for his uncompromising upholding of truth and justice.
Fought with equal vehemence through politics and the law.
What did
Karpal Singh fight for?
For as long
as I remember Karpal fought for the supremacy of the law. The law which he
understood to mean that everyone living in the realm is subjected as equals before
the law. As a result of this unshakeable conviction, he has been able to dispute
and challenge every transgression of the law irrespective of who the author of those transgressions is.
Be it the high
and mighty, the royal family and we have had so many of them who have broken all
sorts of law these years, the politicians and the powerful. I suspect he has a natural
inclination to be on the side of the oppressed, the weak and powerless, and the
common people.
Karpal
Singh is radical in that sense. He actually delights and savors a fight with the establishment-
in any form and guise into which he tears through with reason, the law and
conviction. He does not believe in any god-incarnate institutions here in
Malaysia. His unshakeable motto is if in court, anytime, anywhere.
Probably a
term which can be used to describe such a belief in the mortality of all forms
of institution except the supremacy of the law is a political atheist. He does
not believe in any incarnate unassailability of any man-made institutions.
I think
this is the quality that he sought to infuse in all Malaysians irrespective of race,
colour and creed. As long as all are Malaysians, we are equal before the law. This
form of contribution is immeasurable.
He fought
for the rule of law, supremacy of the constitution, truth, justice and
protection of the weak, oppressed and hapless. And where were his battlegrounds? He chose
them well- in the courts and in parliament. Somehow I will never forget those
words spoken so many years ago- if in court, anytime, anywhere. That was why he
was always fighting for the integrity of the institutions that are the guardians
and dispenser of justice- the courts and the judiciary.
Mr Karpal
Singh will continue to teach and inspire us from wherever he is. Farewell.
24 comments:
Datuk Ariff, a very succinct as well as moving obituary on the Tiger of Jelutong and his core value. You most correctly describe him as one who fought always for the supremacy of the law.
Now I am convinced beyond any doubt why I should NOT become a Muslim. With examples shown by Zulkifli Nordin, that Langkawi MP and the National Fatwa Council any sane person will shun the thought.
These are people without a soul.
I have some questions for these bigots who think non-Muslims are destined for hell.
1. Will a Muslim accept a blood transfusion if it from is from a non-Muslim donor?
2. Is it haram for a Muslim to feed his family using kafir's money if his employer is a non-muslim who gives him his monthly salary? Doesn't his family survive on kafir's money?
3. Why would Muslim benefit from taxes paid by non-Muslims? Their wages and even the cost of suraus and mosques are from such taxes.
4. Is the Fatwa council or God who decides who rests in peace? When did they start playing God?
5. If one is saved by the religion he belongs to and not by the strength of his life, then that is not a religion. Is a shit head like Zulkifli destined for heaven than even my dog will go to heaven.
6. These idiots are no better than suicide bombers.
Anyone who thought Karpal was anti-Islam should know that he defended 2 Ustaz in 1987 and he fought for Singaporean Muslim women's right to wear tudung.
Congratulations Anonymous 09:56. You have completely missed the point of this article just because you needed to rant about Islam in this country.
Did it take you long to come up with your six points? If you've put that much thought and obsession into it you should be able to bring it up with the snap of your fingers.
Dato, most of us are devastated with the loss of Mr Karpal. He is truly a remarkable & outstanding man but yet some idiot like Zulkifli Noordin stooped so low to insult Mr Karpal.
Karpal, our Karpal, rest in peace. You were our saviour, and God is mightly pleased with you, His Beloved son.
To those who prosecuted him, persecuted him, and hounded him,in life and in the courts, we will not grant you forgiveness, so you cannot rest in peace in hell or enter paradise if that is where you think you are destined.
salam dato,
finally a refreshing piece and nice and decent piece of obituary on the deceased Karpal Singh (KS).
With all those ilks like Zul Noordin, the infamous Langkawi UMNO MP and all those so-called Muslim baying for KS's blood and his dead body, where in the world is there anymore decent Muslim whom is god-fearing and whom actually preaches what they profess to be as Muslim.
KS's deed as far as I remember is even more Islamic and noble than what these numb-skulls are doing the exact opposite.
1. KS sought justice for the Purdah wearing civil servant unfairly dismissed back in 1980s.
2. The 2 Ustazs case in 1987.
3. The purported ban by Singapore school on Muslim school girls whom are not allowed head scarfs in school and he was barred from representing them in Singapore.
passerby
Truly a great, great man. Henceforth, he shall be the yardstick against which all Malaysian politicians are measured. As a Chinese Malaysian, I bow three times to you, Mr Karpal Singh.- Fourtan ( taken from Malaysiankini )
As a muhibbah Malay, reading Mr. Fourtan's heartfelt tribute to the Tiger of Jelutong whereby racial barrier is non existent - in reciprocal, it stirs up the profound sadness within.
We, Malysians from all walks of life will miss Mr. Karpal Singh more profoundly for a long long time..
For many, tears will well up in their eyes when massive issues crop up in the nation.. including this writer's.
Btw i have sharp and clear thinking as someone young should be, Sak.
Hi Dato
I truly agreed on what you wrote about late YB Karpal Singh. It's not about being politician that makes him a well known person. Politicians come and go as time flies by. But what about him that remains known to all the Malaysians was his strong believe in equality under the law. No one should be pressed by, no one should escape from it, and everyone deserves the same right, no matter in which level you are according to the hierarchy of society.
For that, he is unrivaled, because he fought for true justice, which no undertable money or hands from dark side could changed. If he knew he was right, he will defend it to the last sweat drop, and if he was wrong, he will apologize without any hesitation, and he did it with earnesty and honesty. He fought for what he believes and understood in terms of law, which was why he earned many enemies around him. But he feared none of them, because he expressed his expression from his understanding of law that he understood for all these years. Even if his understanding contradicted with other form of law, such as religious law, it didn't mean that he had done anything wrong, because he was trying to express his concern from one side of the law which he stood upon. Yet people misunderstood him till now, and treated him as if he has committed heavy sins to the country, as if those people understood law BETTER than Karpal himself.
I'm no one to judge Karpal. In fact even if i have the power to do so, i don't want to because my view of Karpal Singh has always been high. I respect him to the bottom of my heart, tho several times he somewhat caused my heart to boil due to his statement, but never once my respect for him ever drop down. Because he was already a man of that level, to be respected by many, to be hated by many, and to be remembered by many. He is one man that can attract attention of many with just a mere statement. His record is incomparable, and only handful of people that could actually be compared with him, less from the PR, even lesser from the BN side. He had served Malaysia for good 40+ years, and had tasted the feeling of being at the top and bottom of the wheel. He himself is an iconic symbol to be remembered by the pressed people, and to be feared by those who're pressing the people. He did so much for us, yet his name is still the same old Karpal Singh, without any Datuk or suffix fixed to his name, unlike others that we know that received their Datukship within a short time of period of serving the people.
I don't wish to write any longer. To all of us, we all know late Karpal Singh's contribution to Malaysia. He was an irreplaceable servant of the Malaysian people. His legacy will continue on within these heart of ours. I was truly shocked when i heard the news. My deepest condolence to the family of the late Karpal Singh. You're our inspiration, you're our pillar of faith in justice. And for what you'd defended all these times, we as the youngsters of the future generation shall inherit and continue it, and we will never ever let the light of justice be faded out.
Thanks, and may God bless your soul. Rest in peace, the Tiger of Jelutong.
Like I say so in Din merican, Karpal deserved to be respected & honoured. It's time that we should continue with his legacy. Anyway, I sincerely hope that no penangite would oppose having his name named on one of the important roads in Penang. Unlike certain folks denying P Patto name to replace the sinibin road in Ipoh
@Anon 09:56:
All good points.
I donated more than 50 pints until I was told to stop, and I have shaken hands with Muslim friends and strangers who knew I never hesitated to donate even late in the night when called by hospital staff.
I treasure the friendship of so many Muslims I have met but I also find it very easy to distance myself from the violent ones - they don't rationalise before they open their big mouths.
Zulkifli Nordin, Langkawi MP Nawawi Ahmad and National Fatwa Council will continue to drive thousands upon thousands away from Islam.
Listen to another voice of the Islam that Dato and his friends represent. Just received from a friend, enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65evOjC0Wr0&feature=youtu.be
When do we know that fools are really fools?
When even Ibrahim Ali distanced himself from biggots like Zulkifli Noordin and the Langkawi ass licker MP.That is when we know that fools are really fools.
There's normal, ethical religion and then there is clerico-fascism (fascists using religion for their nasty-minded ends).
We have had examples of clerico-fascism from certain "intellectual" converts to Islam and now we have some neo-fascist politicians gloating over the death of the Right Honourable Karpal Singh.
Let us show our disgust for such clerico-fascist politicians by voting them (and top political leaders from the ruling regime who keep quiet or refuse to condemn them for such meaness) out of political office.
Phua Kai Lit
But its UMNO BN which is breeding bigots like like Zulkifli Nordin and the Langkawi MP... and even an UMNO-friendly blogger Papagomo... so who's to blame?
As a taxpayer for 35 years I don't even have a chance to look at the Scorpene subs but a scum like Papagomo get special invitation and even accompanied by a minister! So, who's to blame?
Dato',
What has happened to some Malays? Many have morphed KKK, Nazi, Apartheid, ALL ROLL INTO ONE........... Some really believe that that being a non-Malay/non-Muslim, we are not human and destine to burn in hell........... I shudder to think what will they think of next......
At least the Langkawi MP had the balls to appologise.What happened to Zulkifli Noordin.Lost his quail eggs?
I pray people like Redhuan Tee Abdullah, Ibrahim Ali, Bung Mokhtar Radin, Zulkifli Noordin, Datuk Nawawi of Langkawi and that MP from Salak South all remain healthy and stay in UMNO... It will make GE14 easier for us...
The Langkawi MP's public apology for his facebook postings is as hollow as the man is. Tried to get some brownie points for public consumption and at the same time waging a 'sms' war to support his fb messages. What a load of hypocrisy!!
Anyway, the good thing is he has already lost his 'credibility' even if he kowtows again and again, so he is not election material any more to his masters.
Greenbug: you are right these chaps are doing a good job in convincing that Pakatan should replace BN in QE14, much better than Pakatan itself has done so far. Yep, remain fit and healthy.
@08:27: The cat is out of the bag, and the cat smells.
I thought it was an obituary but reading from all the comments invited from the writing, I suppose we should call a spade as a spade.
YB Sak,the life of Karpal Singh is defined by the man himself. What makes him stand out is his enduring empathy for the commoners.
Above all, he remains humble and modest till death, despite riding on the wave of popularity.
He is no slave to conventional norms of success. Neither is he a victim or worshipper of materialism. This explains why he takes on cases pro bono, where it fits his sense of justice. His inner conviction and anger against abuses.
Not all of us can be as brilliant as Karpal Singh. He has left me a model being true to oneself and to others.
He is not dead but has left us to another room.
YB Karpal Singh, if truth be told, was a Statesman. True, he was a brilliant lawyer, courageous, respectful to all but afraid of none, confident of his faith in the Rule of Law and abiding love of all Malaysians. His love and respect for a commoner like me was no less than that he had for very many much grander than I, a mere "cari makan" person.
He sought no honours or titles. He believed in the equality of all whether rich or poor. He inspired and gave hope to people like few others. Karpal Singh was a great son of Malaysia!
Surau and mosques fund are from Zakat lah bro, should not blame Muslim lah, blame people make use of religion for political gains, as that morons are so low in the world of ethic．
If these sadness,that i felt in my heart,that caused a few tears to dropped...by the sad news of him passing away is a sin by those people..i felt no remorse...for ALLAH knows better....
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