Anwar pays tribute to defender of human rights
Malaysia has lost a selfless, courageous and noble defender of fundamental liberties, said opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in a tribute to his political comrade and lawyer Karpal Singh, who died in an accident this morning.
Anwar, who found out about Karpal's passing at 3am today, said that Malaysia had lost an illustrious hero and dedicated servant.
"It came like a lightning bolt to me because just last evening, I had had a lengthy chat with him.
"Words cannot express my profound sadness at the passing of my brother-in-arms for freedom and democracy, an inspiring symbol of the struggle against oppression and injustice and a man of unimpeachable moral integrity," Anwar said in a statement today.
Anwar, whom Karpal had defended in both Anwar's sodomy cases, said that on a personal level, he had lost a friend whom he described as “kind in words and noble in deed”.
Quoting Shakespeare, Anwar said: “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once”, adding: "And so it was with our hero Karpal Singh for there is none more valiant in life than this great mortal whose body may have perished but his spirit shall live on with us.” – April 17, 2014.
