Karpal helped build ‘Kit Siang dynasty’ in DAP, says Utusan
The Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia praised the late Karpal Singh today, saying the former DAP chairman stayed loyal to keep Lim Kit Siang at the party's top despite a string of betrayals.
The paper's editorial voice Awang Selamat also said Karpal's death was a blow to Lim, adding that the late Bukit Gelugor MP had played a role in helping the latter "build his political dynasty".
"When DAP leaders were abandoning Kit Siang from time to time especially during the 1980s and 1990s due to their dissatisfaction with his leadership, the late (Karpal) remained loyal," said Awang Selamat, the pseudonym for Utusan's collective editorial voice, wrote in its weekend edition, Mingguan Malaysia.
Karpal, among DAP's most senior leaders, died in a road accident last Thursday, on his way to Penang to attend a court case.
His funeral which began shortly, saw thousands of Malaysians gather at his house since Thursday to pay their last respects.
Utusan said after Karpal's demise, Kit Siang and his son, Lim Guan Eng will find it impossible to get the kind of undivided loyalty displayed by a non-Chinese DAP leader such as Karpal.
Saying Kit Siang had been taking cover behind Karpal's vocal voice in the DAP, Awang Selamat said it was Karpal's influence which propelled Guan Eng to the DAP leadership and to the Penang chief minister's post.
Utusan also praised Karpal for several reasons, among them for his open criticism of opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 2009 urging him to "repent", for stepping down as DAP chairman, and for what it claimed was Karpal's disagreement with the opposition's boycott of government-controlled media.
Karpal had announced his resignation as the party's chairman on March 29 following his conviction under the Sedition Act.
Utusan said Karpal had more integrity than Anwar, adding that he was more mature than "many DAP and PKR leaders".
Karpal and his personal assistant Michael Cornelius Selvam Vellu died in a car accident on the North-South Expressway on Thursday morning near Gua Tempurung, Kampar in Perak.
Karpal's son Ramkarpal and driver C. Selvam suffered light injuries, while his Indonesian domestic helper was seriously injured.
Born in Penang on June 28, 1940, Karpal graduated with a law degree from the National University of Singapore.
His political career began in 1970 when he joined the DAP, later winning a Kedah state seat in 1974.
He was first elected to Parliament in 1978 as the representative for Jelutong, Penang, and held the seat for more than 20 years until 1999, earning him the moniker “Tiger of Jelutong.”
In 2004, he returned to Parliament, and later led the DAP to its strongest ever performance in the 2008 general election.
Karpal leaves behind a wife, five children and eleven grandchildren. – April 20, 2014.
