Kow Gah Chie
Malaysiakini
Apr 25, 2014

After his sedition conviction, Karpal Singh had uttered these famous words, “You knock out one Karpal, a hundred Karpal Singhs will rise.”

His long-time friend and political colleague Lim Kit Siang recalled this quote during the memorial service held for the late politician, who was killed in an accident on April 17, in Kuala Lumpur last night.

However, Lim had a grander vision.

The DAP supremo wanted to see not a hundred but thousands of Karpals rising up to the fight.

“I promise to continue his fight… Karpal’s dream is to uphold the rule of law, justice, good governance as well as a united and harmonious Malaysia… This will be our dream… and to make it a reality in the next general election,” he added.

Lim also said millions are still grieving over Karpal’s death and this reflected how great a man he was.

Nine years ago, an accident left Karpal paralysed from the waist down and he remained confined to a wheelchair until his death.

While most would break down when dealt such a cruel twist of fate, Ambiga Sreenevasan noted that the incident failed to dampen Karpal’s fighting spirit.

On the contrary, the former Bar Council president and Bersih said: “He stood taller when he was in a wheelchair.”

Speaking at the memorial attended by some 3,000 people, Ambiga also expressed her gratitude to his widow Gurmit Kaur and the couple’s children.

“Thanks, Gurmit and family, for sharing Karpal with us, you don’t know how much we depended on him.

“You have lost your Karpal, he was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. We have lost our Karpal, a good representative, friend and supporter,” she added.

Anwar: Goodnight, sweet prince

Anwar Ibrahim, on the other hand, recalled his last telephone conversation with Karpal and remembered how the latter had once gently hit him in public which he (Anwar) regarded as an “affectionate slap of an elder brother on a younger sibling on the wrist”.

“Now cracks a noble heart. Good night sweet prince,” the opposition leader said, quoting Horaitio in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Meanwhile, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said he missed Karpal’s courage and strength.

“His constant reminder was, no matter you win or lose, it is important to fight and bounce back if defeated,” he said.

PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu told the crowd that Karpal was a tame cat when he was with friends and family, but turned into tiger when fighting his cause.

He fondly described Karpal as “the lawyer of lawyers”.

“Karpal had his own beliefs and principles, but he would bow to his friends and opponents if they could match his principles and beliefs in debates,” he said.

Also present were special adviser of the United Nations representative for Timor Leste and wife of former actng DAP secretary-general the late Fan Yew Teng, Noeleen Heyzer, and national laureate A Samad Said.