Karpal Singh
Encyclopedia
Karpal Singh is a Malaysian lawyer
and politician, who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for the neighbourhood of Bukit Gelugor
in the state of Penang
since 2004
. He is the current National Chairman of the Democratic Action Party
(DAP), a position he assumed in 2004.
Born in Penang to a Punjabi immigrant father, Karpal read law at the University of Singapore. He is one of Malaysia's most prominent lawyers, and has taken up numerous high-profile cases, including drug trafficking
charges against foreign nationals, and sodomy accusations
against former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim
. Karpal is a staunch opponent of the death penalty, especially in relation to drug trafficking offences.
In both courtrooms and parliament, he is known as a fiery debater, which has gotten him into trouble with authorities on occasion. He has been suspended from parliament numerous times and has been detained under Malaysia's internal security laws
. His reputation as a lawyer and opposition politician has earned him the nickname "the Tiger of Jelutong".
Karpal's political career began in 1970 when he joined the DAP. He won a seat in the Kedah State Legislative Assembly 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 losing it in 1999
. He returned to parliament in the next general election, and led the DAP to its strongest ever performance in the 2008 general election
.
A motor vehicle accident in 2005 has since left Karpal using a wheelchair and with neuromotor problems in his right arm. Despite this, he has continued his legal and political careers.
, Penang
, Karpal Singh was the son of watchman
and part-time herdsman
Ram Singh. Ram had moved from India to Penang in 1921. Karpal's ancestors were wheat farmers from the village of Samna Pind, near Amritsar
, in the Punjab region
. He visited the village in 1963 while attending university and in 1974 when his father was killed in an accident there.
Karpal studied at St. Xavier's Institution. He met his wife, Gurmit Kaur, while herding his father's cows.
He obtained his Bachelor of Laws
from the University of Singapore. During his time there, he also served as president of the student's union. He was barred from the hostel for protesting against the university's decision to mandate the "certificate of political suitability" for enrolling students. Karpal said he took seven years to graduate, admitting that he was "playful" and "didn’t attend lectures." After failing his final year courses, the dean, Tommy Koh
, made him sit at the front of the class, and according to Karpal, "I couldn’t play the fool any more and I passed my exams accordingly!"
. He started his legal firm in 1970. Karpal is known for his expertise in the field of litigation. He has been praised for "defending the little man" and called "a friend to the oppressed and marginalised." Professor of Law at Universiti Teknologi MARA
, Dr. Shad Saleem Faruqi
has praised Karpal's legal team for their innovative interpretations which has helped people with difficult cases.
in Malaysia, and has successfully defended at least ten foreigners on serious drug charges which carry a mandatory death sentence. Nonetheless, in July 2010, he called for convicted child rapist
s to be sentenced to death.
Among his most high-profile cases include defending Australia
n drug trafficker Kevin Barlow who was executed
in Malaysia in 1986. Barlow and fellow Australia Brian Chambers were convicted of trafficking heroin by the High Court in Penang
in July 1985. He continued to fight to clear Barlow's name even after the execution. He also defended New Zealanders Lorraine Cohen and her son, Aaron, against heroin trafficking charges in 1987. They were both convicted, with Mrs Cohen sentenced to death and Aaron sentenced to life in prison. However, the death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 1989 and they were subsequently pardoned and freed in 1996.
In 1977, he managed to persuade the king to pardon a 14-year old Chinese boy sentenced to death for possession of a firearm under the Internal Security Act
, apparently by suggesting that to let the boy hang would be "politically explosive."
during the latter's sodomy trial
of 1998. During the first trial in September 1999, he produced a pathological report confirming high levels of arsenic
had been detected in Anwar's body, and accused the authorities of poisoning Anwar, charging:
This accusation in court led to Karpal being charged under the Sedition Act
in January 2000. Karpal is acting as the defence's lead counsel in Anwar's second sodomy trial, following fresh allegations in 2008.
(DAP) in 1970, citing the party's multiracial political platform following the race riots in 1969
. He was due to contest the 1974 general election
in Penang
, but withdrew after his father's death. However, following the persuasion of DAP national organising secretary Fan Yew Teng
, Karpal ran for the Alor Setar parliamentary seat and Alor Setar Bandar state seat
. He won the state seat and became the first DAP candidate to stand for and win a seat in Kedah
.
In the 1978 general elections
, Karpal won the Jelutong
parliamentary seat and the Bukit Gelugor
state seat
. He held the Bukit Gelugor state seat until 1990, moving on to contest (but lose) the Sungai Pinang
and Padang Kota seats in subsequent elections.
In 1989, Karpal accused Deputy Speaker D. P. Vijandran of acting in pornographic videotapes. The allegations were dismissed due to lack of evidence, but Vijandran resigned as deputy speaker in 1990. However, in 1992, Karpal produced the alleged videotape in parliament, and handed it over the Deputy Speaker Ong Tee Keat
. Vijandran was convicted in May 1994 for fabricating evidence in an affidavit which sought a court order to stop his nephew from allegedly and distributing pornographic video tapes featuring him, but was acquitted in 1998 after appeal. In 2000, Karpal was ordered to pay Vijandran RM500,000 (later reduced to RM100,000 on appeal) in damages for defamation after accusing the latter of deliberately issuing a cheque to him from a closed account.
, an opposition alliance with Parti Keadilan
and the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), a move strongly advocated by Karpal and Lim. Despite the ruling Barisan Nasional
(BN) coalition suffering significant losses in the election, it was Keadilan and PAS that absorbed the gains, while the DAP's support eroded due to its supporters' suspicions of PAS and its hardline Islamic stance. Although the DAP actually gained seats, the party performed well below expectations, with Lim admitting that result was a "catastrophic defeat". Despite the setback, Karpal was retained as party deputy chairman, while Lim was elevated to chairman after the resignation of long-serving chairman Chen Man Hin.
He was one of the strongest opponents of PAS's plan to introduce hudud
(Islamic codes of behaviour) into the Terengganu
state legal system in 1999, even threatening to take the state government to court.
, Karpal returned to parliament with a 1,261-majority win in the new Bukit Gelugor
seat. The DAP regained its position as the largest opposition party in parliament. Karpal took over as DAP National Chairman on 4 September 2004.
On 7 September 2004, Karpal was sanctioned for "misleading parliament" after claiming that MPs had to raise their right hand while taking the oath of office on 17 May. A report by the Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Committee gave him three days to apologize or face a six month suspension. He refused to apologize and served the suspension.
with a near 20-fold increased majority. The election saw historic gains for the opposition, who managed to deny the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional
(BN), a two-thirds majority in parliament for the first time. The three main opposition parties subsequently formed a formal coalition – Pakatan Rakyat
.
Karpal was listed as the DAP's representative on Pakatan Rakyat's Shadow Ministry of Home Affairs Committee in July 2009.
During a May 2008 parliamentary sitting, Karpal found himself at the centre of controversy again by calling fellow parliamentarian Bung Mokhtar Radin
the "bigfoot
from Kinabatangan
." Moments later, he was mocked by Ibrahim Ali
for not being able to stand up while speaking, which provoked a furore among opposition MPs. The following month, he received a death threat in the form of a bullet delivered to his law firm. In October, he received a two-day suspension from parliament for calling Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia
"not serious" and "playful".
In March 2009, Karpal was charged under the Sedition Act again for allegedly threatening to sue the Sultan of Perak
, Sultan Azlan Shah in the wake of the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis
. He had contended that the Sultan had acted beyond his constitutional powers while appointing Zambry Abdul Kadir
as Menteri Besar. He was acquitted in June 2010.
In April 2010, he was suspended from parliament for ten days after calling the speaker a "dictator". In December that year, he was suspended again for six months along with opposition MPs Anwar Ibrahim
, Azmin Ali and Sivarasa Rasiah
. Anwar was suspended for stirring up controversy over the government's links with APCO Worldwide
, while the rest rest were punished for making public the report by the Rights and Privileges Committee which found Anwar guilty before the report was presented to parliament.
and John F. Kennedy
as influences. The May 13 incident
convinced him that Malaysia needed to take a multiracial course, hence he joined the DAP. Karpal has also commended the first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman
for promoting racial unity.
He strongly criticised the legal immunity granted to the hereditary Malay rulers in the original constitution
, which was subsequently removed
by the government in 1993.
He is a firm critic of Mahathir Mohamad's term as prime minister. "Political life is not what it used to be in Malaysia," he commented in 1993, specifically criticising the restriction on media coverage of the opposition. He has called for Mahathir to apologise for the latter's role in the 1988 constitutional crisis
.
Karpal is also staunchly opposed to the notion of Malaysia as an Islamic state
, arguing that the Constitution
provides for a secular nation, with Islam as the official religion. He has been at loggerheads with Mahathir as well as fellow opposition party PAS over the issue. Karpal even once said "an Islamic state over my dead body" regarding the debate during a political speech which has led to him being portrayed as an enemy of Islam. He claims to have apologised for the matter.
, when he told Samy, "he could be the lion, and I could be the tiger, because there are no lions in Malaysia!"
He once criticized the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
(King of Malaysia) in the Dewan Rakyat
for allegedly assaulting two men taken to the royal palace by the police, a move which drew heavy criticism from government members of parliament, who demanded that he apologise. He refused. Karpal even filed a lawsuit against the King, Sultan Iskandar, in 1986 on behalf of one of the allegedly assaulted men. He lost and the sultan allegedly named one of his dogs after him.
during Operation Lalang
in October 1987 for inciting "racial tension" in the country. He was released briefly (a few hours) in March 1988 in response to a habeas corpus
application, but was rearrested and remained in prison until January 1989. Amnesty International
deemed him a prisoner of conscience
.
He was arrested in January 2000 under the Sedition Act
along with four other opposition politicians and the editor of the Harakah Daily, the newspaper published by the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). He was charged for making seditious remarks in court during Anwar's first corruption trial. This was the only known charge of sedition in any country in the Commonwealth of nations
brought against a lawyer for remarks made in court in defence of a client. The charges were dropped in 2002.
, Thailand
but moved to Penang when she was seven. They have five children and four grandchildren. His eldest son, Jagdeep is the Penang State Assemblyman
for Datuk Keramat
and second son, Gobind
is the Member of Parliament
for Puchong
, Selangor
. Another son, Ramkarpal and daughter Sangeet Kaur work in his law firm, while youngest son Man Karpal studied actuarial science
.
His wife Gurmit described his detention from 1987 to 1989 as a "very big experience" and took a toll on her life, as she had to "be strong" for their young children. The initial stage of his disability also deeply upset her.
He and his wife have lived in Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur
since 1994.
. As a result, he suffers from sensory impairment and reduced motor strength, is unable to walk or raise his right arm a few centimeters.
To suit his mobility needs, his seat in the Parliament chamber was moved to the back row to accommodate his wheelchair.
|-
|-
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and politician, who has been the Member of Parliament
Dewan Rakyat
The Dewan Rakyat is the lower house of the Parliament of Malaysia. All bills must usually be passed by both the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara , before they are given Royal Assent by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong...
(MP) for the neighbourhood of Bukit Gelugor
Bukit Gelugor
Bukit Gelugor is a residential neighbourhood in Penang, Malaysia, located just north of Gelugor Village. The name literally translates as 'Gelugor Hill' in the Malay language. The area was one of the oldest suburban housing areas in Penang, and has many old colonial-style bungalows that are still...
in the state of Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
since 2004
Malaysian general election, 2004
General elections were held in Malaysia on March 21, 2004. The incumbent National Front government of Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was re-elected with an increased majority.-Election results:...
. He is the current National Chairman of the Democratic Action Party
Democratic Action Party
The Democratic Action Party, or DAP is a secular, multi-racial, social democratic Malaysian political party.The DAP is one of the three major opposition parties in Malaysia, along with the PKR and PAS, that are seen as electable alternatives to the Barisan Nasional coalition of parties...
(DAP), a position he assumed in 2004.
Born in Penang to a Punjabi immigrant father, Karpal read law at the University of Singapore. He is one of Malaysia's most prominent lawyers, and has taken up numerous high-profile cases, including drug trafficking
Illegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
charges against foreign nationals, and sodomy accusations
Anwar Ibrahim sodomy trials
The Anwar Ibrahim sodomy trials are a source of considerable political controversy in Malaysia. The first trial was held in 1998, and resulted in former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim being convicted, and given a nine-year prison sentence. This verdict was overturned in 2004, resulting in...
against former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced...
. Karpal is a staunch opponent of the death penalty, especially in relation to drug trafficking offences.
In both courtrooms and parliament, he is known as a fiery debater, which has gotten him into trouble with authorities on occasion. He has been suspended from parliament numerous times and has been detained under Malaysia's internal security laws
Internal Security Act (Malaysia)
The Internal Security Act 1960 is a preventive detention law in force in Malaysia. The legislation was enacted after Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957. The ISA allows for detention without trial or criminal charges under limited, legally defined circumstances...
. His reputation as a lawyer and opposition politician has earned him the nickname "the Tiger of Jelutong".
Karpal's political career began in 1970 when he joined the DAP. He won a seat in the Kedah State Legislative Assembly in 1974
Malaysian general election, 1974
General elections were held in Malaysia between 24 August and 14 September 1974, alongside state elections in all states except Sabah.. This result was a victory for Barisan Nasional , which won 135 of the 154 seats. Voter turnout was 75.1%.-Results:...
. He was first elected to parliament in 1978
Malaysian general election, 1978
General elections were held in Malaysia on 8 July 1978. It was Hussein Onn's first election since he became the country's third Prime Minister. His Barisan Nasional Party emerged victorious with 131 of the 154 seats in Parliament...
as the representative for Jelutong, Penang
Jelutong
Jelutong may refer to:* Bukit Jelutong, a suburb in Selangor, Malaysia* Jelutong , a type of tropical tree* Jelutong, Penang...
, and held the seat for more than 20 years until losing it in 1999
Malaysian general election, 1999
The 1999 Malaysian General Election was held on 29 November 1999 as stipulated by the laws of Malaysia for general elections. As expected, the Barisan Nasional coalition maintained its majority in parliament, and thus, its grip on the post of Prime Minister....
. He returned to parliament in the next general election, and led the DAP to its strongest ever performance in the 2008 general election
Malaysian general election, 2008
The 12th Malaysian general election was held on March 8, 2008, in accordance with Malaysian laws for national elections, which states that a general election must be held no later than five years subsequent to the previous elections; the previous general election was held in 2004...
.
A motor vehicle accident in 2005 has since left Karpal using a wheelchair and with neuromotor problems in his right arm. Despite this, he has continued his legal and political careers.
Early life and education
Born in GeorgetownGeorge Town, Penang
George Town was voted as one of the best cities in Asia by Asiaweek, ranked 6th in 1998 and 9th in 2000. More recently, George Town has improved a notch to rank as the 9th most liveable city in Asia in a survey of 254 cities worldwide according to an international location ratings survey by , an...
, Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
, Karpal Singh was the son of watchman
Security guard
A security guard is a person who is paid to protect property, assets, or people. Security guards are usually privately and formally employed personnel...
and part-time herdsman
Herder
A herder is a worker who lives a possibly semi-nomadic life, caring for various domestic animals, in places where these animals wander pasture lands....
Ram Singh. Ram had moved from India to Penang in 1921. Karpal's ancestors were wheat farmers from the village of Samna Pind, near Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
, in the Punjab region
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
. He visited the village in 1963 while attending university and in 1974 when his father was killed in an accident there.
Karpal studied at St. Xavier's Institution. He met his wife, Gurmit Kaur, while herding his father's cows.
He obtained his Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
from the University of Singapore. During his time there, he also served as president of the student's union. He was barred from the hostel for protesting against the university's decision to mandate the "certificate of political suitability" for enrolling students. Karpal said he took seven years to graduate, admitting that he was "playful" and "didn’t attend lectures." After failing his final year courses, the dean, Tommy Koh
Tommy Koh
Tommy Koh was born in Singapore on 12 November 1937. He is an international lawyer, professor and Ambassador-At-Large for the Government of Singapore...
, made him sit at the front of the class, and according to Karpal, "I couldn’t play the fool any more and I passed my exams accordingly!"
Legal career
Karpal Singh was called to the Penang bar in 1969 and joined a firm in Alor Setar, KedahKedah
Kedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...
. He started his legal firm in 1970. Karpal is known for his expertise in the field of litigation. He has been praised for "defending the little man" and called "a friend to the oppressed and marginalised." Professor of Law at Universiti Teknologi MARA
Universiti Teknologi MARA
Universiti Teknologi MARA is a coeducational public university with its main campus located in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.It is the flagship institution of the Universiti Teknologi MARA...
, Dr. Shad Saleem Faruqi
Shad Saleem Faruqi
Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr. Shad Saleem Faruqi is a Malaysian Emeritus Professor of Law who has served Universiti Teknologi MARA in Shah Alam, Selangor in various capacities from 1971 onwards...
has praised Karpal's legal team for their innovative interpretations which has helped people with difficult cases.
Death penalty
He has been described as a leading opponent of the death penaltyCapital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
in Malaysia, and has successfully defended at least ten foreigners on serious drug charges which carry a mandatory death sentence. Nonetheless, in July 2010, he called for convicted child rapist
Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
s to be sentenced to death.
Among his most high-profile cases include defending Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n drug trafficker Kevin Barlow who was executed
Barlow and Chambers execution
The Barlow and Chambers execution refers to the hanging in 1986 by Malaysia of two Australian citizens, Kevin John Barlow and Brian Geoffrey Chambers of Perth, Western Australia, for the drug trafficking of 141.9 g of heroin....
in Malaysia in 1986. Barlow and fellow Australia Brian Chambers were convicted of trafficking heroin by the High Court in Penang
High Courts of Malaysia
The High Courts in Malaysia are the third-highest courts in the hierarchy of courts, after the Federal Court and the Court of Appeal. Article 121 of the Constitution of Malaysia provides that there shall be two High Courts of coordinate jurisdiction—the High Court in Malaya and the High Court...
in July 1985. He continued to fight to clear Barlow's name even after the execution. He also defended New Zealanders Lorraine Cohen and her son, Aaron, against heroin trafficking charges in 1987. They were both convicted, with Mrs Cohen sentenced to death and Aaron sentenced to life in prison. However, the death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 1989 and they were subsequently pardoned and freed in 1996.
In 1977, he managed to persuade the king to pardon a 14-year old Chinese boy sentenced to death for possession of a firearm under the Internal Security Act
Internal Security Act (Malaysia)
The Internal Security Act 1960 is a preventive detention law in force in Malaysia. The legislation was enacted after Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957. The ISA allows for detention without trial or criminal charges under limited, legally defined circumstances...
, apparently by suggesting that to let the boy hang would be "politically explosive."
Anwar Ibrahim
Karpal also represented former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar IbrahimAnwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced...
during the latter's sodomy trial
Anwar Ibrahim sodomy trials
The Anwar Ibrahim sodomy trials are a source of considerable political controversy in Malaysia. The first trial was held in 1998, and resulted in former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim being convicted, and given a nine-year prison sentence. This verdict was overturned in 2004, resulting in...
of 1998. During the first trial in September 1999, he produced a pathological report confirming high levels of arsenic
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
had been detected in Anwar's body, and accused the authorities of poisoning Anwar, charging:
This accusation in court led to Karpal being charged under the Sedition Act
Sedition Act (Malaysia)
The Sedition Act in Malaysia is a law prohibiting discourse deemed as seditious. The act was originally enacted by the colonial authorities of British Malaya in 1948...
in January 2000. Karpal is acting as the defence's lead counsel in Anwar's second sodomy trial, following fresh allegations in 2008.
Entry into politics
Karpal Singh joined the Democratic Action PartyDemocratic Action Party
The Democratic Action Party, or DAP is a secular, multi-racial, social democratic Malaysian political party.The DAP is one of the three major opposition parties in Malaysia, along with the PKR and PAS, that are seen as electable alternatives to the Barisan Nasional coalition of parties...
(DAP) in 1970, citing the party's multiracial political platform following the race riots in 1969
May 13 Incident
The 13 May Incident is a term for the Sino-Malay sectarian violences in Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia, which began on 13 May 1969...
. He was due to contest the 1974 general election
Malaysian general election, 1974
General elections were held in Malaysia between 24 August and 14 September 1974, alongside state elections in all states except Sabah.. This result was a victory for Barisan Nasional , which won 135 of the 154 seats. Voter turnout was 75.1%.-Results:...
in Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
, but withdrew after his father's death. However, following the persuasion of DAP national organising secretary Fan Yew Teng
Fan Yew Teng
Fan Yew Teng was former Acting Secretary-General of the Democratic Action Party, Malaysia, former Member of Parliament for Kampar and Menglembu , and former Selangor State Assemblyman for Petaling Jaya...
, Karpal ran for the Alor Setar parliamentary seat and Alor Setar Bandar state seat
Dewan Undangan Negeri Kedah
The Kedah State Legislative Assembly is the state legislature of the Malaysian state of Kedah. It is a unicameral institution, consisting of a total of 36 lawmakers.Members of the unicameral state legislature are called state assemblymen...
. He won the state seat and became the first DAP candidate to stand for and win a seat in Kedah
Kedah
Kedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...
.
In the 1978 general elections
Malaysian general election, 1978
General elections were held in Malaysia on 8 July 1978. It was Hussein Onn's first election since he became the country's third Prime Minister. His Barisan Nasional Party emerged victorious with 131 of the 154 seats in Parliament...
, Karpal won the Jelutong
Jelutong
Jelutong may refer to:* Bukit Jelutong, a suburb in Selangor, Malaysia* Jelutong , a type of tropical tree* Jelutong, Penang...
parliamentary seat and the Bukit Gelugor
Bukit Gelugor
Bukit Gelugor is a residential neighbourhood in Penang, Malaysia, located just north of Gelugor Village. The name literally translates as 'Gelugor Hill' in the Malay language. The area was one of the oldest suburban housing areas in Penang, and has many old colonial-style bungalows that are still...
state seat
Dewan Undangan Negeri Pulau Pinang
The Penang State Legislative Assembly is the state legislature of the Malaysian state of Penang. It is a unicameral institution, consisting of a total of 40 lawmakers....
. He held the Bukit Gelugor state seat until 1990, moving on to contest (but lose) the Sungai Pinang
Sungai Pinang
Sungai Pinang is a township located just next to Jelutong, Penang, Malaysia....
and Padang Kota seats in subsequent elections.
In 1989, Karpal accused Deputy Speaker D. P. Vijandran of acting in pornographic videotapes. The allegations were dismissed due to lack of evidence, but Vijandran resigned as deputy speaker in 1990. However, in 1992, Karpal produced the alleged videotape in parliament, and handed it over the Deputy Speaker Ong Tee Keat
Ong Tee Keat
Dato' Sri Ong Tee Keat is a Malaysian politician and current Member of Parliament for Pandan. He was the Transport Minister in the Malaysian federal cabinet from March 18, 2008 to June 4, 2010. He was the 8th president of the Malaysian Chinese Association .-Personal life:The son of a fishmonger,...
. Vijandran was convicted in May 1994 for fabricating evidence in an affidavit which sought a court order to stop his nephew from allegedly and distributing pornographic video tapes featuring him, but was acquitted in 1998 after appeal. In 2000, Karpal was ordered to pay Vijandran RM500,000 (later reduced to RM100,000 on appeal) in damages for defamation after accusing the latter of deliberately issuing a cheque to him from a closed account.
Wilderness
In the 1999 election, Karpal, along with opposition leader Lim Kit Siang, lost his Jelutong parliamentary seat, which he had held for 21 years. The DAP had joined Barisan AlternatifBarisan Alternatif
Barisan Alternatif was a coalition of Malaysian opposition parties, formed as a counterweight to the ruling Barisan Nasional...
, an opposition alliance with Parti Keadilan
Parti Keadilan Rakyat
The People's Justice Party , often known simply as KeADILan) is a centrist political party in Malaysia formed in 2003 by a merger of the National Justice Party and the older Malaysian People's Party...
and the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), a move strongly advocated by Karpal and Lim. Despite the ruling Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence...
(BN) coalition suffering significant losses in the election, it was Keadilan and PAS that absorbed the gains, while the DAP's support eroded due to its supporters' suspicions of PAS and its hardline Islamic stance. Although the DAP actually gained seats, the party performed well below expectations, with Lim admitting that result was a "catastrophic defeat". Despite the setback, Karpal was retained as party deputy chairman, while Lim was elevated to chairman after the resignation of long-serving chairman Chen Man Hin.
He was one of the strongest opponents of PAS's plan to introduce hudud
Hudud
Hudud is the word often used in Islamic literature for the bounds of acceptable behaviour and the punishments for serious crimes...
(Islamic codes of behaviour) into the Terengganu
Terengganu
Terengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman...
state legal system in 1999, even threatening to take the state government to court.
Return to parliament
In the 2004 general electionMalaysian general election, 2004
General elections were held in Malaysia on March 21, 2004. The incumbent National Front government of Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was re-elected with an increased majority.-Election results:...
, Karpal returned to parliament with a 1,261-majority win in the new Bukit Gelugor
Bukit Gelugor
Bukit Gelugor is a residential neighbourhood in Penang, Malaysia, located just north of Gelugor Village. The name literally translates as 'Gelugor Hill' in the Malay language. The area was one of the oldest suburban housing areas in Penang, and has many old colonial-style bungalows that are still...
seat. The DAP regained its position as the largest opposition party in parliament. Karpal took over as DAP National Chairman on 4 September 2004.
On 7 September 2004, Karpal was sanctioned for "misleading parliament" after claiming that MPs had to raise their right hand while taking the oath of office on 17 May. A report by the Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Committee gave him three days to apologize or face a six month suspension. He refused to apologize and served the suspension.
"Political tsunami"
Karpal retained his seat in the 2008 electionMalaysian general election, 2008
The 12th Malaysian general election was held on March 8, 2008, in accordance with Malaysian laws for national elections, which states that a general election must be held no later than five years subsequent to the previous elections; the previous general election was held in 2004...
with a near 20-fold increased majority. The election saw historic gains for the opposition, who managed to deny the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence...
(BN), a two-thirds majority in parliament for the first time. The three main opposition parties subsequently formed a formal coalition – Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat or PR is an informal Malaysian political coalition. It currently controls four state governments while in opposition to the ruling Barisan Nasional at the federal level....
.
Karpal was listed as the DAP's representative on Pakatan Rakyat's Shadow Ministry of Home Affairs Committee in July 2009.
During a May 2008 parliamentary sitting, Karpal found himself at the centre of controversy again by calling fellow parliamentarian Bung Mokhtar Radin
Bung Mokhtar Radin
Datuk Bung Mokhtar bin Radin is a Malaysian politician. He is a member of United Malays National Organisation and also Member of the Malaysian Parliament for the constituency of Kinabatangan, Sabah.- "Bocor" remark :...
the "bigfoot
Bigfoot
Bigfoot, also known as sasquatch, is an ape-like cryptid that purportedly inhabits forests, mainly in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Bigfoot is usually described as a large, hairy, bipedal humanoid...
from Kinabatangan
Kinabatangan
Kinabatangan is a district located in Sandakan Division, in the east of Sabah, Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Its population was estimated to be around 86,783 in 2000. Kinabatangan is mostly populated with Sungei Race, one of the Indigenous Group in Sabah...
." Moments later, he was mocked by Ibrahim Ali
Ibrahim Ali (Malaysia)
Dato' Ibrahim bin Ali is a Malaysian politician and is currently the member of parliament for Pasir Mas. He is also the founder and president of Malay rights group Perkasa.-Political career:...
for not being able to stand up while speaking, which provoked a furore among opposition MPs. The following month, he received a death threat in the form of a bullet delivered to his law firm. In October, he received a two-day suspension from parliament for calling Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia
Pandikar Amin Mulia
Tan Sri Datuk Seri Utama Pandikar Amin bin Haji Mulia is a Malaysian politician and the current Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, the lower house of the Parliament of Malaysia. He was previously a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department...
"not serious" and "playful".
In March 2009, Karpal was charged under the Sedition Act again for allegedly threatening to sue the Sultan of Perak
Sultan of Perak
Sultan of Perak is one of the oldest hereditary seats among the Malay states.When the Sultanate of Malacca empire fell to Portugal in 1511, Sultan Mahmud Syah I retreated to Kampar, Sumatra and died there in 1528. He left behind two princes named Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II and Sultan Muzaffar...
, Sultan Azlan Shah in the wake of the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis
2009 Perak constitutional crisis
The 2009 Perak constitutional crisis was a political dispute in Malaysia regarding the legitimacy of the Perak state government formed in February 2009. It began when three Pakatan Rakyat state legislators defected, causing a collapse of the state government...
. He had contended that the Sultan had acted beyond his constitutional powers while appointing Zambry Abdul Kadir
Zambry Abdul Kadir
Dato' Seri Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir is the current Menteri Besar of Perak and a Malaysian politician from the United Malays National Organisation , the leading party in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.-Education:-Perak Constitutional Crisis:...
as Menteri Besar. He was acquitted in June 2010.
In April 2010, he was suspended from parliament for ten days after calling the speaker a "dictator". In December that year, he was suspended again for six months along with opposition MPs Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar bin Ibrahim is a Malaysian politician who served as Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998. Early in his career, Anwar was a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad but subsequently emerged as the most prominent critic of Mahathir's government.In 1999, he was sentenced...
, Azmin Ali and Sivarasa Rasiah
Sivarasa Rasiah
Sivarasa Rasiah ,or also known as R.Sivarasa is a prominent Malaysian politician, lawyer and human rights activist. He is co-founder of Suara Rakyat Malaysia or Suaram and vice-president of the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat...
. Anwar was suspended for stirring up controversy over the government's links with APCO Worldwide
APCO Worldwide
APCO Worldwide is an independent communications consultancy. With more than 600 employees in 29 worldwide locations, it is the second largest independently-owned PR firm in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., APCO was founded in 1984 by Margery Kraus, who is now the firm’s global...
, while the rest rest were punished for making public the report by the Rights and Privileges Committee which found Anwar guilty before the report was presented to parliament.
Political views
Karpal Singh has cited Mahatma GandhiMahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
and John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
as influences. The May 13 incident
May 13 Incident
The 13 May Incident is a term for the Sino-Malay sectarian violences in Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia, which began on 13 May 1969...
convinced him that Malaysia needed to take a multiracial course, hence he joined the DAP. Karpal has also commended the first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah, AC, CH was Chief Minister of the Federation of Malaya from 1955, and the country's first Prime Minister from independence in 1957. He remained as the Prime Minister after Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore joined the...
for promoting racial unity.
He strongly criticised the legal immunity granted to the hereditary Malay rulers in the original constitution
Constitution of Malaysia
The Federal Constitution of Malaysia, which came into force in 1957, is the supreme law of Malaysia. The Federation was initially called the Federation of Malaya and it adopted its present name, Malaysia, when the States of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore joined the Federation...
, which was subsequently removed
1993 amendments to the Constitution of Malaysia
The 1993 amendments to the Constitution of Malaysia was passed by the Malaysian parliament with the aim of removing legal immunity of the royalty. The changes, which saw the amendments of Articles 32, 38, 42, 63, 72 and 181 in the Constitution of Malaysia, was implemented in March 1993...
by the government in 1993.
He is a firm critic of Mahathir Mohamad's term as prime minister. "Political life is not what it used to be in Malaysia," he commented in 1993, specifically criticising the restriction on media coverage of the opposition. He has called for Mahathir to apologise for the latter's role in the 1988 constitutional crisis
1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis
The 1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis was a series of events that began with United Malays National Organisation general election in 1987 and ended with the suspension and the eventual removal of the Lord President of the Supreme Court, Tun Salleh Abas, from his seat...
.
Karpal is also staunchly opposed to the notion of Malaysia as an Islamic state
Islamic State
An Islamic state is a type of government, in which the primary basis for government is Islamic religious law...
, arguing that the Constitution
Constitution of Malaysia
The Federal Constitution of Malaysia, which came into force in 1957, is the supreme law of Malaysia. The Federation was initially called the Federation of Malaya and it adopted its present name, Malaysia, when the States of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore joined the Federation...
provides for a secular nation, with Islam as the official religion. He has been at loggerheads with Mahathir as well as fellow opposition party PAS over the issue. Karpal even once said "an Islamic state over my dead body" regarding the debate during a political speech which has led to him being portrayed as an enemy of Islam. He claims to have apologised for the matter.
Reputation
Karpal is a controversial figure, and has been labelled along with fellow DAP politician Lim Kit Siang as a racial provocateur. He has been dubbed the "Tiger of Jelutong" by admirers having served as Jeluting MP for five terms. Karpal attributes the nickname to a confrontation with former Malaysian Indian Congress President Samy VelluSamy Vellu
Dato' Seri Samy Vellu Sangalimuthu is an Indian Malaysian politician. He is the longest serving President of the Malaysian Indian Congress , a component party of the Barisan Nasional coalition, holding the position since 1979, for 11 consecutive terms...
, when he told Samy, "he could be the lion, and I could be the tiger, because there are no lions in Malaysia!"
Controversies
Karpal has clashed with government parliamentarians and assemblymen during debates. On two occasions in the Penang State Assembly, the speaker called in the police to have Karpal removed from the chamber. On both occasions, he ordered the policemen out, saying they had no right to be there, and then walked out on his own.He once criticized the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....
(King of Malaysia) in the Dewan Rakyat
Dewan Rakyat
The Dewan Rakyat is the lower house of the Parliament of Malaysia. All bills must usually be passed by both the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara , before they are given Royal Assent by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong...
for allegedly assaulting two men taken to the royal palace by the police, a move which drew heavy criticism from government members of parliament, who demanded that he apologise. He refused. Karpal even filed a lawsuit against the King, Sultan Iskandar, in 1986 on behalf of one of the allegedly assaulted men. He lost and the sultan allegedly named one of his dogs after him.
Detentions
Karpal, along with many other opposition politicians, was detained without trial under the Internal Security ActInternal Security Act (Malaysia)
The Internal Security Act 1960 is a preventive detention law in force in Malaysia. The legislation was enacted after Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957. The ISA allows for detention without trial or criminal charges under limited, legally defined circumstances...
during Operation Lalang
Operation Lalang
Operation Lalang was carried out on October 27, 1987 by the Malaysian police to crack down on opposition leaders and social activists...
in October 1987 for inciting "racial tension" in the country. He was released briefly (a few hours) in March 1988 in response to a habeas corpus
Habeas corpus
is a writ, or legal action, through which a prisoner can be released from unlawful detention. The remedy can be sought by the prisoner or by another person coming to his aid. Habeas corpus originated in the English legal system, but it is now available in many nations...
application, but was rearrested and remained in prison until January 1989. Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
deemed him a prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience is a term defined in Peter Benenson's 1961 article "The Forgotten Prisoners" often used by the human rights group Amnesty International. It can refer to anyone imprisoned because of their race, religion, or political views...
.
He was arrested in January 2000 under the Sedition Act
Sedition Act (Malaysia)
The Sedition Act in Malaysia is a law prohibiting discourse deemed as seditious. The act was originally enacted by the colonial authorities of British Malaya in 1948...
along with four other opposition politicians and the editor of the Harakah Daily, the newspaper published by the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). He was charged for making seditious remarks in court during Anwar's first corruption trial. This was the only known charge of sedition in any country in the Commonwealth of nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
brought against a lawyer for remarks made in court in defence of a client. The charges were dropped in 2002.
Family
Karpal Singh married Gurmit Kaur, eight years his junior, in July 1970. Gurmit's family was from NarathiwatNarathiwat
Narathiwat is a town in southern Thailand, capital of the Narathiwat Province. The town covers the whole subdistrict Bang Nak of Mueang Narathiwat district. The town was established in 1936.-External links:...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
but moved to Penang when she was seven. They have five children and four grandchildren. His eldest son, Jagdeep is the Penang State Assemblyman
Dewan Undangan Negeri Pulau Pinang
The Penang State Legislative Assembly is the state legislature of the Malaysian state of Penang. It is a unicameral institution, consisting of a total of 40 lawmakers....
for Datuk Keramat
Datuk Keramat
The religious belief of the Datuk Keramat worship can be found in Malaysia, Singapore and along the Strait of Malacca. It is a fusion of pre-Islamic spirit belief, Sufi saint worship and Chinese folk religion....
and second son, Gobind
Gobind Singh Deo
Gobind Singh Deo is a prominent Malaysian lawyer and politician and is the current Member of Parliament representing Puchong. He is also the national legal bureau secretary of the Democratic Action Party...
is the Member of Parliament
Dewan Rakyat
The Dewan Rakyat is the lower house of the Parliament of Malaysia. All bills must usually be passed by both the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara , before they are given Royal Assent by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong...
for Puchong
Puchong
Puchong is a major town in the Petaling district of Selangor, Malaysia. The town used to be a rubber estate and tin-mining town in the 1960s. During 1980s, Puchong consisted of only one two-lane road running through estates and villages...
, Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
. Another son, Ramkarpal and daughter Sangeet Kaur work in his law firm, while youngest son Man Karpal studied actuarial science
Actuarial science
Actuarial science is the discipline that applies mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk in the insurance and finance industries. Actuaries are professionals who are qualified in this field through education and experience...
.
His wife Gurmit described his detention from 1987 to 1989 as a "very big experience" and took a toll on her life, as she had to "be strong" for their young children. The initial stage of his disability also deeply upset her.
He and his wife have lived in Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
since 1994.
Accident and disability
On January 28, 2005, Karpal was involved in an accident which has left him using a wheelchair. A car rammed into a taxi which he was sitting in from behind, causing severe contusion to his thoracic vertebraeThoracic vertebrae
In human anatomy, twelve thoracic vertebrae compose the middle segment of the vertebral column, between the cervical vertebrae and the lumbar vertebrae. They are intermediate in size between those of the cervical and lumbar regions; they increase in size as one proceeds down the spine, the upper...
. As a result, he suffers from sensory impairment and reduced motor strength, is unable to walk or raise his right arm a few centimeters.
To suit his mobility needs, his seat in the Parliament chamber was moved to the back row to accommodate his wheelchair.
External links
- Karpal Singh — Official website
- Karpal Singh official Democratic Action Party profile
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