Karpal inspired us, say mourners from near and far bidding farewell to their hero
As thousands of mourners bid farewell to the "Tiger of Jelutong", lawyer R. Joethy, 73, remembered his old law school buddy as one who rarely ever studied at university.
Karpal Singh had so many distractions from his involvement in the student union where he was one of the leaders, Joethy said.
"But he was very bright boy. He worked very hard. He had a passion for people and issues affecting them. Those qualities made him successful in his pursuits in law and politics.
"He was the leading light of student activism, a formidable student leader. Even at a young age, he showed enormous potential, leadership and passion.
"He was already a man of principle then. He always stood by them."
Joethy entered the University of Singapore in 1960 while Karpal joined a year later.
He said Karpal was a very handsome young man.
"He had a ramrod, straight back. He never slouched. He had no tummy at the time of course," he recalled fondly.
Joethy and his wife came from Singapore yesterday to join the thousands who turned up at Dewan Sri Pinang this morning to pay their final respect to Karpal.
"We remained great friends and tried to stay in contact but Karpal was extremely busy.
"I last saw him at a friend's birthday in Kuala Lumpur over a year ago. I last spoke to him last month after he was convicted of sedition.
"He said: 'I will continue to fight' and I wished him the best," he said.
Joethy said he is happy that his old friend had achieved so much in his lifetime.
He said Karpal was a minority in a minority who truly believed in multiracial politics.
"This is reflected by the crowd here today. It is not just a party affair.
"So many ordinary people are here today to show their gratitude to the inspiring hero they have lost," he said.
Tay Leong Hark, 67, was among the thousands at the public ceremony at Dewan Sri Pinang to see Karpal for the last time.
He stood patiently on his single leg while using his crutches for support.
"I have been a DAP member in Penang for over 30 years. I must come today to pay my respects.
"Karpal was good to all of us. He was a noble leader. He led the DAP to its present glory," he said.
Tay said he always had the chance to meet Karpal face-to-face during party meetings.
He said he had never seen Karpal lose his temper.
"My heart broke when I heard he died in an accident last Thursday. The news was hard to accept because Karpal was such a good man," he said.
Madam Loh, 52, from Kuala Lumpur, said when she was growing up poor, her parents would always tell her about Karpal Singh.
"Whenever we had difficulties, my parents would say don't worry, Karpal is there.
"He is a great hero of Malaysia who stands up for the ordinary people. Wherever there's unfairness, Karpal is there.
"Now that I'm a mother, I've told my children the same stories about Karpal, a true icon."
Datuk Dr Chatar Singh, 85, from Bukit Gelugor, Penang, said he had known Karpal's family since the 1970s.
"He was the MP for my area. He was the pride and joy of the Sikh community and had done tremendous things.
"Karpal is truly a leader in every sense of the word and we will all miss him."
Eighty-year-old Gurbachan Singh travelled all the way from Johor Baru to pay his last respects and said Karpal never turned away anyone who needed his help.
"Karpal was a man who held firm to his beliefs and principles even during the most difficult times.
"We will never find another person like him. I hope that his children and grandchildren will continue his legacy," he said.
Meanwhile, Penang Hospital senior consultant forensic pathologist Datuk Dr Bhupinder Singh said Karpal was a man one would never forget after meeting.
He said he first met the Bukit Gelugor MP in 1994 in Tapah, Perak, over a case involving the murder of a Canadian woman by two Turkish men.
"He was a very impressionable man in the way he spoke and carried himself.
"He was very sharp. He was straight to the point and never beat about the bush," the forensic expert recalled.
Although Karpal was already a very famous lawyer, Dr Bhupinder said Karpal was a simple man as well as a fine gentleman.
"He always spoke from his heart," he said.
The meeting with Karpal led the two notable Punjabi professionals to forge a friendship.
"We occasionally met socially but most of the time, it was work that brought us together.
"He was a very dedicated lawyer. He always fought for justice," he said.
Dr Bhupinder said he last met Karpal two-and-a-half weeks ago during the laying ceremony of the foundation stone for a new Sikh temple in Bayan Lepas, Penang. – April 20, 2014.
