Karpal Singh

Not to be confused with Kirpal Singh.

This article is about the Malaysian politician and lawyer. For the seaside promenade in Penang, see Karpal Singh Drive.

In this Indian name, the name Ram Singh is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Karpal Singh. The abbreviation "s/o" or "d/o", if used, means "son of" or "daughter of" respectively.

Yang Berbahagia Dato' Seri Utama Karpal Singh
ਕਰਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ
Karpal in 2011.
3rd National Chairman of the <br/> Democratic Action Party
In office 4 September 2004 – 29 March 2014
Secretary-General	Lim Guan Eng
Preceded by	Lim Kit Siang
Succeeded by	Tan Kok Wai
Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Bukit Gelugor
In office 21 March 2004 – 17 April 2014
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Ramkarpal Singh
Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Jelutong
In office 31 July 1978 – 29 November 1999
Preceded by	Rasiah Rajasingam
Succeeded by	Lee Kah Choon
Personal details
Born	Karpal Singh s/o Ram Singh Deo 28 June 1940 George Town, Penang, Straits Settlements <br /> <small>(now Malaysia)</small>
Died	17 April 2014(2014-04-17) (aged 73) Gua Tempurung, Perak, Malaysia
Political party	Democratic Action Party (DAP) <br/> (1970–2014)
Other political affiliations	Gagasan Rakyat (GR) <br/> (1990–1996) <br/> Barisan Alternatif (BA) <br/> (1999–2004) <br/> Pakatan Rakyat (PR) <br/> (2008–2014)
Spouse(s)	Gurmit Kaur ( m. 1970)
Children	5 (including Jagdeep, Gobind and Ramkarpal)
Parent(s)	Ram Singh Deo (father) <br /> Kartar Kaur (mother)
Residence	Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur
Education	St. Xavier's Institution
Alma mater	National University of Singapore (LLB)
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Lawyer
Nickname(s)	Tiger of Jelutong

Karpal Singh s/o Ram Singh Deo (; 28 June 1940 – 17 April 2014) was an Indian Malaysian politician and lawyer. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Bukit Gelugor in the state of Penang from 2004 to 2014. During that time, he was also the National Chairman of the Democratic Action Party (DAP).<ref>Zurairi AR (18 April 2014). 10 things about: Karpal Singh, The Tiger of Jelutong The Malay Mail. Retrieved on 21 April 2014.</ref>

Born in Penang to Sikh Punjabi Indian immigrant parents, Karpal studied law at the National University of Singapore. He was one of Malaysia's most prominent lawyers and took a number of high-profile cases, including drug-trafficking charges against foreign nationals. Karpal was an opponent of the death penalty, especially for drug trafficking.

In the courtroom and Parliament, he was a controversial figure. Karpal was suspended from Parliament several times, charged with sedition and detained under Malaysia's internal-security law. His reputation as a lawyer and opposition politician gave him the nickname "the Tiger of Jelutong".

Karpal's political career began in 1970 (when he joined the DAP), and he won a seat in the Kedah State Legislative Assembly in 1974. He was elected to parliament in 1978 as representative for Jelutong, Penang, and held the seat for more than 20 years until he lost it in 1999. Karpal returned to Parliament in the next general election, and led the DAP to its strongest-ever performance in the 2008 general election. A 2005 motor-vehicle accident put Karpal in a wheelchair, with neuro-motor problems in his right arm, but he continued his legal and political careers. He died on 17 April 2014 after another motor-vehicle accident.

Early life and education

Born in Georgetown, Penang, Karpal was the son of a watchman and herdsman, Ram Singh Deo.<ref name="roaring">Vengadesan, Martin (23 July 2010). "This Tiger's still roaring". The Star. Archived from the original on 26 July 2010. Retrieved 30 July 2011.</ref><ref name="birthday tribute">"A Birthday Tribute to DAP National Chairman Karpal Singh". The Rocket. Democratic Action Party. July 2010. pp. 7–10. ISSN 1823-8424.</ref> His mother was Kartar Kaur.

Karpal studied at St. Xavier's Institution<ref name="birthday tribute"/><ref name="sueking"/> and received his Bachelor of Laws degree from the National University of Singapore,<ref name="roaring"/> where he was the president of the student union.<ref name="birthday tribute"/> He was barred from his hostel for protesting against the university's decision to mandate certificates of political suitability for incoming students.<ref name="birthday tribute"/> Karpal said he took seven years to graduate, admitting that he was "playful" and "didn't attend lectures".<ref name="roaring"/> After failing his final-year courses, the dean made him sit at the front of his classes; according to Karpal, "I couldn't play the fool anymore and I passed my exams accordingly!"<ref name="roaring"/>

Legal career

He was called to the Penang bar in 1969 and joined a firm in Alor Star, Kedah.<ref name="birthday tribute"/><ref name="sueking">Vatikiotis, Michael (1993). "A Malaysian who dared sue a king". Far Eastern Economic Review. 156 (20): 78. Retrieved 9 June 2011.</ref> Karpal founded his legal firm the following year,<ref name="pillar">"His pillar of strength". The Star. 10 September 2006. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008. Retrieved 30 July 2011.</ref> and was known for his expertise in the field of litigation.<ref name="bio">"Karpal Singh". Democratic Action Party. Archived from the original on 30 December 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2010.</ref> He was a pioneer in drug trafficking and habeas corpus cases, and opposed the death penalty.<ref>Sharmila, Joane (April–June 2014). "A tribute to Karpal Singh (1940–2014); Malaysian Bar". Praxis. Retrieved 10 August 2014.</ref> Karpal was praised for "defending the little man",<ref name="sueking"/> and was called "a friend to the oppressed and marginalised."<ref name="durable">"Durable and obdurate". The Star. 25 July 2010. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2011.</ref> Universiti Teknologi MARA law professor Shad Saleem Faruqi praised Karpal's legal team for their innovative interpretations, which helped defendants with difficult cases.<ref name="durable"/>

Death penalty

Karpal was described as a leading opponent of the death penalty in Malaysia,<ref name="about">"About Karpal Singh". Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada. Archived from the original on 14 November 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2010.</ref> and successfully defended at least ten foreigners on serious drug charges (which have a mandatory death sentence).<ref name="sueking"/> However, in July 2010 he called for convicted child rapists to receive the death sentence.<ref>"Karpal cadang perogol kanak-kanak dihukum mati" (in Bahasa Melayu). Malaysiakini. 31 July 2010. Archived from the original on 7 October 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2011.</ref>

Among Karpal's highest-profile cases were his defence of Australian drug trafficker Kevin Barlow, who was executed in Malaysia in 1986.<ref>Hiett, Peter (7 July 1986). "Brian Chambers and Kevin Barlow executed in Malaysia". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 July 2011.</ref> Barlow and fellow Australian Brian Chambers were convicted of trafficking heroin by the High Court in Penang in July 1985,<ref>Dover, Bruce (28 July 1985). "No effort spared' in bid to save heroin convicts". The Sunday Mail.</ref> and Karpal continued fighting to clear Barlow's name after his execution.<ref name="hangman">Petersen, Don (6 November 1986). "The man who fought the hangman". The Courier-Mail.</ref> Karpal also defended New Zealanders Lorraine Cohen and her son, Aaron, against heroin-trafficking charges in 1987.<ref>Baker, M. (8 September 1988). "Lorraine's long, lonely wait on Malaysia's death row". Herald Sun.</ref> They were convicted, with Lorraine sentenced to death and Aaron to life in prison. Lorraine's death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 1989, and both were pardoned and freed in 1996.<ref>"Penang pardons NZ drug traffickers". The Australian. Agence France Presse. 27 May 1996.</ref> In 1977, Karpal managed to persuade the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to pardon a 14-year-old Chinese boy who was sentenced to death for possession of a firearm under the Internal Security Act, reportedly suggesting that to let the boy hang would be "politically explosive."<ref name="sueking"/>

In 2006, Karpal represented two sisters who were charged with allegedly masterminding the murder of their Australian stepfather Hans Herzog, who was killed by two male teenagers in a parang attack at his Kuala Lumpur home in 2003. The sisters were alleged to have hired the two boys to attack Herzog due to their resentment over the supposed abusive treatment they received from Herzog.<ref>"Sisters, friends planned murder, court told". The New Straits Times. 19 August 2004.</ref> The sisters were later acquitted without their defence being called, and Karpal would later represent one of the two hired hitmen in his appeal in 2009, which ended with the boy, who was 17 at the time of the crime, to be convicted for murder and detained indefinitely at the Selangor Sultan's pleasure.<ref>"Man to hang for Herzog's murder". The New Straits Times. 8 April 2009.</ref> The boy's older friend Low Kian Boon (aged 18 at the time of the murder) was sentenced to death, before the sentence was reduced to 35 years' imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane in 2024.<ref>"Court commutes sentence of youth who murdered Aussie businessman". Free Malaysia Today. 28 March 2024.</ref>

Karpal also took on cases outside of Malaysia's jurisdiction during his legal career. In January 1995, Karpal travelled to Singapore and represented Malaysian gunman Ng Theng Shuang in his appeal against the death sentence issued to Ng under the Arms Offences Act for discharging his firearm during a goldsmith robbery heist at Singapore's South Bridge Road.<ref>"被告律师建议摒弃"侯大头"案例没被接受 持枪抢劫天成金庄被告上诉失败维持死刑原判". Lianhe Zaobao (in 中文). 27 January 1995.</ref> Ng's appeal was dismissed despite Karpal's arguments in the appeal, and he was hanged on 14 July 1995 in Changi Prison.<ref>"Gunman in goldsmith shop shoot-out hanged". The Straits Times. 16 July 1995.</ref>

Anwar Ibrahim

Karpal represented former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during Anwar's 1998 sodomy trial.<ref name="far east">The Far East and Australasia, 2003 (34 ed.). Routledge. 2003. p. 770. ISBN 978-1-85743-133-9.</ref> In September 1999, he produced a pathological report confirming high levels of arsenic in Anwar's body and accused authorities of poisoning him: "It could well be that someone out there wants to get rid of him ... even to the extent of murder ... I suspect people in high places are responsible for this situation."<ref name="about"/> The accusation led to Karpal's detention under the Sedition Act in January 2000.<ref name="tribute"/>

He was the lead defence counsel in Anwar's second sodomy trial, after new allegations in 2008.<ref>Irdiani Mohd Salleh (3 June 2011). "Anwar applies for new trial and judge". Local p. 14.</ref> After a two-year trial, Anwar was acquitted on 10 January 2012;<ref>Allard, Tom (10 January 2012). "Malaysia's Anwar acquitted". The Age. Retrieved 20 January 2012.</ref> however, the acquittal was overturned two years later.<ref>"Malaysia jails Anwar Ibrahim for five years for sodomy". BBC News. 7 March 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2018.</ref>

Political career

Entry into politics

Karpal joined the Democratic Action Party (DAP) in 1970, citing its multiracial platform after the 1969 race riots.<ref name="roaring"/><ref name="At 70">Shazwan Mustafa Kamal (28 June 2010). "At 70, Karpal says won't close shop". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 3 July 2010. Retrieved 30 July 2011.</ref> Although he planned to contest the 1974 general election in Penang, he withdrew after his father's death. However, Karpal was persuaded by DAP national organising secretary Fan Yew Teng to stand for the Alor Setar parliamentary seat and the Alor Setar Bandar state seat.<ref name="roaring"/> He won only the state seat, the first DAP candidate to win a seat in Kedah.<ref name="karpal">"Karpal Singh". Archived from the original on 3 January 2012. Retrieved 28 July 2010.</ref>

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, losing subsequent elections for the Sungai Pinang and Padang Kota seats.

In 1989, Karpal accused Deputy Speaker D. P. Vijandran of appearing in pornographic videos.<ref>"Porn row". The Independent. 22 December 1989. p. 8.</ref> Although the allegations were dismissed due to lack of evidence, Vijandran resigned the following year.<ref name="lewd">Kalimullah Hassan (21 July 1992). "Tape shows former Deputy Speaker in lewd acts: DAP". The Straits Times.</ref> In 1992, Karpal produced the alleged videotape in parliament and gave it to Deputy Speaker Ong Tee Keat.<ref name="lewd"/> Vijandran was convicted in May 1994 of fabricating evidence in an affidavit seeking a court order to stop his nephew from allegedly distributing pornographic videotapes in which he appeared,<ref>"Former MIC leader in sex-tape case weds in India". The Straits Times. 10 June 1995.</ref> but the conviction was overturned in 1998.<ref>"Vijandran acquitted on perjury charge after appeal". New Straits Times. 25 August 1998. p. 6.</ref> In 2000, Karpal was ordered to pay Vijandran RM500,000 (reduced to RM100,000 on appeal) in damages for defamation after he accused Vijandran of cheque fraud.<ref>"RM900,000 in damages for Vijandran". New Straits Times. p. 4.</ref><ref>Ruslaini Abbas (4 August 2000). "Vijandran-Karpal Singh suit: Damages reduced to RM100,000". New Straits Times.</ref>

Setback

In the 1999 election, Karpal lost the Jelutong parliamentary seat he had held for 21 years, and DAP leader Lim Kit Siang was also defeated.<ref name="far east"/> The DAP had joined Barisan Alternatif, an opposition alliance with Parti Keadilan and the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) (a move strongly supported by Karpal and Lim).<ref>"Kit Siang: I will not cling to post". New Straits Times. 9 December 1999. National p. 10.</ref> Despite the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition's significant losses in the election, Keadilan and PAS absorbed the gains as DAP support eroded due to suspicion of PAS and its hard-line Islamic stance.<ref name="Karpal on the DAP">Loh, Deborah (1 February 2010). "Karpal on the DAP". The Nut Graph. Retrieved 30 July 2011.</ref> Although the DAP gained seats, the party performed well below expectations and Lim called the results a "catastrophic defeat".<ref>Pereira, Brendan (3 December 1999). "Out: Kit Siang as DAP chief". The Straits Times.</ref> Despite the setback, Karpal remained as party deputy chairman and Lim became chairman after the resignation of long-serving chairman Chen Man Hin.<ref>Patvinder Singh; Abdul Razak Ahmad (3 December 1999). "Kit Siang quits as sec-gen of DAP, elected chairman". New Straits Times. p. 1.</ref> Karpal strongly opposed a PAS plan to introduce hudud (Islamic codes of behavior) into the Terengganu state legal system in 1999, threatening to take the state government to court.<ref>Chong, Chee Seong (3 December 1999). "DAP to take Pas to court if hudud is implemented". New Straits Times. National p. 10.</ref>

Return to Parliament

In the 2004 general election, Karpal returned to parliament with a 1,261-vote majority in the new Bukit Gelugor seat.<ref>"Election results 2004: Penang". The Star. Archived from the original on 9 January 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2011.</ref> The DAP regained its position as the largest opposition party in Parliament,<ref>"Election 2004 Results". The Star. Archived from the original on 8 January 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2011.</ref> and Karpal became the party's national chairman on 4 September 2004.<ref>"Confirmed: Guan Eng is DAP leader". Malaysiakini. 4 September 2004. Retrieved 9 June 2011.</ref>

On 7 September, he was sanctioned for "misleading Parliament" after claiming that MPs had to raise their right hand while they took the oath of office on 17 May. A report by the Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Committee gave Karpal three days to apologise or face a six-month suspension.<ref name="bio"/><ref>Template:Cite hansard</ref> He refused to apologise and served the suspension.<ref name="mpinexile">"'MP-in-exile' Karpal will not apologise". Malaysiakini. 7 September 2004. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2011.</ref><ref>"Karpal Singh willing to serve out suspension". New Straits Times. 10 September 2004. Nation.</ref>

Victories and controversy

Karpal Singh (seated on the left) holding a press conference in the parliament building with Shaariibuu Setev, the father of Altantuya Shaariibuu

Karpal retained his seat in the 2008 election with a nearly-20-fold-vote increased majority (21,015 votes).<ref>"Election results 2008: Penang". The Star. Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2011.</ref> The election saw historic gains for the opposition, who denied the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) a two-thirds majority in Parliament for the first time.<ref>"Malaysia PM rejects calls to quit". BBC News. 9 March 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2011.</ref>

The three major opposition parties formed a coalition (the Pakatan Rakyat),<ref>"PKR, PAS, DAP to form Pakatan Rakyat". The Star. 1 April 2008. Archived from the original on 6 May 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2011.</ref> and Karpal was listed as the DAP representative on the coalition's Shadow Ministry of Home Affairs Committee in July 2009.<ref>"Pakatan forms shadow parliamentary committees". The Star. 2 July 2009. Archived from the original on 5 July 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2011.</ref>

In April 2010, he was suspended from parliament for ten days after he called the speaker a "dictator".<ref>V. Vasudevan (8 April 2010). "Karpal booted out for calling speaker a dictator". New Straits Times. FindArticles.com. Retrieved 9 June 2011.</ref> In December of that year, he and opposition members of parliament Anwar Ibrahim, Azmin Ali and Sivarasa Rasiah were suspended for six months. Anwar was suspended for stirring up controversy over government links to APCO Worldwide, while the rest were punished for publicising a report by the Rights and Privileges Committee finding Anwar guilty before the report was presented to Parliament.<ref name="contempt">"Anwar, three Pakatan MPs, suspended for six months". The Star. 16 December 2010. Archived from the original on 17 December 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2011.</ref>

In December 2011, Karpal and Penang second deputy chief minister P. Ramasamy feuded over Ramasamy's reported accusation that dissidents in the DAP were plotting against him for not giving them projects and favours. Karpal called Ramasamy a "warlord" and asked for him to resign as deputy chief minister.<ref name="warlord">Yow, Hong Chieh (24 December 2011). "Karpal wants Ramasamy to quit over plot allegations". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 8 January 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2012.</ref> Ramasamy asked the party to remove its "godfathers", an apparent reference to Karpal.<ref name="warlord"/> The feud was resolved internally, and Ramasamy later denied ever making the accusation.<ref>Lisa J. Ariffin (26 December 2011). "Ramasamy blames The Star for latest row with Karpal". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 7 January 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2012.</ref> At the DAP national conference in January 2012, Karpal joined Ramasamy and asked the party's "warlords and godfathers [to] stand together against Barisan Nasional."<ref>Lee, Regina (8 January 2012). "Karpal, Ramasamy end feud". The Star. Retrieved 21 January 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)</ref>

Political views

Karpal Singh cited David Saul Marshall, Mahatma Gandhi and John F. Kennedy as influences. The 13 May Incident convinced him that Malaysia needed to take a multiracial course, and he joined the DAP in 1970. Karpal praised the country's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman for promoting racial unity.<ref name="roaring"/> He criticised the legal immunity granted to the hereditary Malay rulers in the original constitution, which was removed by the Mahathir Mohamad government in 1993.<ref name="sueking"/><ref>"All in the name of fair distribution of power". New Straits Times. 8 December 2008. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2011.</ref>

Karpal Singh opposed the idea of Malaysia as an Islamic state, arguing that the constitution provided for a secular nation with Islam as the official religion, and clashed with Mahathir and fellow opposition party PAS over the issue.<ref>Shazwan Mustafa Kamal (10 June 2010). "No Islamic state for DAP, says Karpal". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 3 January 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2011.</ref> Karpal said "an Islamic state over my dead body" about the debate during a political speech,<ref name="roaring"/> but later said that he had apologised for the remark.<ref>G. Vinod (15 June 2011). "Karpal raps two NST journalists". Free Malaysia Today. Archived from the original on 18 June 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2011.</ref>

Controversies and issues

Karpal was a controversial figure, and he and fellow DAP politician Lim Kit Siang have been referred to as racial provocateurs.<ref>Musa, M. Bakri (2007). Towards A Competitive Malaysia. Petaling Jaya: Strategic Information and Research Development Centre. p. 79. ISBN 978-983-3782-20-8.</ref> He was nicknamed "the Tiger of Jelutong" by admirers after serving five terms as Jelutong MP.<ref name="walk">"I will walk again". The Star. 26 September 2006. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008. Retrieved 30 July 2011.</ref> Karpal attributed the nickname to a confrontation with former Malaysian Indian Congress President Samy Vellu when he said to Samy, "he could be the lion, and I could be the tiger, because there are no lions in Malaysia!"<ref name="roaring"/>

Slurs

He clashed with government parliamentarians and assemblymen during debates. On two occasions in the Penang State Assembly, the speaker called police to have Karpal removed from the chamber.<ref name="hangman"/> Karpal ordered the police officers out both times, saying that they had no right to be there before walking out on his own.<ref name="hangman"/>

He criticised the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in the Dewan Rakyat for allegedly assaulting two men who were brought to the palace by police, which sparked demands for an apology from members of Parliament; Karpal refused.<ref name="hangman"/> Karpal filed a lawsuit against the king, Iskandar of Johor, in 1986 on behalf of one of the men. He lost, and the sultan reportedly named one of his dogs after him.<ref name="sueking"/>

Karpal served two six-month suspensions from Parliament: in September 2004 for "misleading" Parliament,<ref name="mpinexile"/> and in December 2010 for contempt.<ref name="contempt"/> During a May 2008 session, he called fellow parliamentarian Bung Moktar Radin the "Bigfoot from Kinabatangan".<ref name="zoo">"Dewan turns into a 'zoo' over seating position, name-calling". The Star. 1 May 2008. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2011.</ref> Moments later, Karpal was mocked by Ibrahim Ali and Bung Moktar Radin for his inability to stand while speaking as a result of his disability (provoking a furore among opposition members).<ref name="zoo"/> The following month, he received a death threat in the form of a bullet delivered to his law firm.<ref name="threat">Azmi Anshar (21 May 2008). "Dewan Dispatches: The Tiger bites the bullet". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 8 June 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2011.</ref> In October, Karpal was suspended from Parliament for two days for calling speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia "not serious" and "playful".<ref>Rahmah Ghazali (23 October 2008). "Karpal slapped with two-day suspension". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 9 June 2011.</ref>

Detentions

He and a number of other opposition politicians were detained without trial under the Internal Security Act during Operation Lalang in October 1987 for inciting "racial tension" in Malaysia.<ref name="tribute">Template:Cite hansard </ref> Karpal was released for several hours in March 1988 in response to a habeas corpus application before being rearrested and imprisoned until January 1989.<ref name="sueking"/><ref>"Malaysia suspends top judge who criticized Prime Minister". The Globe and Mail. 7 June 1988.</ref> Amnesty International called him a prisoner of conscience.<ref name="tribute"/>

Sedition trials

Karpal, four other opposition politicians and the editor of the Harakah Daily (the newspaper published by the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party) were arrested in January 2000 under the Sedition Act,<ref name="far east"/> and he was charged with making seditious remarks in court during Anwar's first corruption trial.<ref>"Opposition leaders, editor arrested". BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. Bernama. 14 January 2000. FE/D3737/S1.</ref> This, the only known charge of sedition in any Commonwealth country brought against a lawyer for remarks made in court in defence of a client,<ref name="about"/> was dropped in 2002.<ref name="about"/><ref name="charged">Charles, Lourdes; Lee, Yuk Peng (16 March 2009). "Karpal to be charged for sedition against Perak Sultan". The Star. Archived from the original on 20 March 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2011.</ref>

He was again charged under the Sedition Act in March 2009 with threatening to sue the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, in the wake of the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis. Karpal had contended that the sultan had exceeded his constitutional powers in appointing Zambry Abdul Kadir Menteri Besar.<ref name="charged"/><ref>"Malaysian MP on sedition charges". BBC News. 17 March 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2011.</ref> The charges were dismissed in June 2010 after the High Court determined that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case.<ref>Nurbaiti Hamdan; Goh, Lisa (11 June 2010). "Karpal Singh acquitted of sedition against Sultan of Perak". The Star. Archived from the original on 14 June 2010. Retrieved 30 July 2011.</ref> However, the Court of Appeal reversed the acquittal in January 2012 and ordered Karpal to enter a defence.<ref>Chooi, Clara (20 January 2012). "Appeal Court reverses Karpal's sedition acquittal, orders defence". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 22 January 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2012.</ref> In March 2019, 10 years after the incident the Federal Court acquitted Karpal posthumously.<ref>Lim, Ida; Moses, Lazareen Thaveethu (29 March 2019). "Federal Court posthumously acquits Karpal Singh of sedition (VIDEO) | Malay Mail". www.malaymail.com. Retrieved 29 March 2019.</ref>

Personal life

Family

Oil portrait of Karpal

Karpal married Gurmit Kaur, eight years his junior, in July 1970. Gurmit's family, from Narathiwat, Thailand, moved to Penang when she was seven.<ref name="roaring"/><ref name="pillar"/> They had five children and eleven grandchildren.<ref name="pillar"/> Karpal's eldest son, Jagdeep, is the Penang State Assemblyman for Datok Keramat; his second son, Gobind, was the Minister of Communications and Multimedia and is the Member of Parliament for Puchong, Selangor. His third son, Ramkarpal succeeded him as the MP for Bukit Gelugor after his death. His daughter, Sangeet Kaur works in his law firm and his youngest son, Man Karpal studied actuarial science.<ref name="roaring"/>

Gurmit described Karpal's detention from 1987 to 1989 as a "very big experience", which took a toll on her life because she had to "be strong" for their young children.<ref name="durable"/> The initial stage of his disability also deeply upset her.<ref name="pillar"/> Karpal and Gurmit lived in Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur, from 1994 until his death.<ref name="pillar"/>

Accident and disability

On 28 January 2005, Karpal was involved in an accident which left him in a wheelchair.<ref>"KARPAL PULIH". Metro Ahad. 30 January 2005. Retrieved 28 June 2020.</ref><ref>"Karpal Singh cedera kemalangan jalan raya". Berita Minggu. 30 January 2005. Retrieved 28 June 2020.</ref><ref>Ridzuan Yop (28 June 2005). "Karpal hadir berkerusi roda". Berita Harian. Retrieved 28 June 2020.</ref> A car struck a taxi in which he was seated from behind, severely bruising his thoracic vertebrae. The accident left Karpal with sensory impairment and reduced motor strength, and he was unable to walk or raise his right arm more than a few centimeters.<ref name="pillar"/><ref name="walk"/><ref name="threat"/> His seat in the parliamentary chamber was moved to the back row to accommodate his wheelchair.<ref name="walk"/>

Death and funeral

Karpal's minivan after the accident

In the early hours of 17 April 2014, Karpal died in a car crash on the North–South Expressway E1 near Gua Tempurung, Perak. His personal assistant, Michael Cornelius, was also killed in the accident. Ramkarpal (Karpal's son and one of the minivan's five occupants) and an Indonesian maid believed to have been employed by Karpal were injured.<ref>"Karpal killed in car crash". Free Malaysia Today. 17 April 2014. Archived from the original on 17 April 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014.</ref> The driver of the minivan was injured as well. Karpal's Toyota Alphard collided with the right side of a slow-moving, five-tonne Mitsubishi Canter lorry carrying cement, steel, and tiles. Although the lorry driver (identified as Abu Mansor Mohd) tested positive for cannabis, it was uncertain if he was under influence at the time of the accident.<ref name="Karpal killed in car crash">"Karpal killed in car crash". Free Malaysia Today. 17 April 2014. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014.</ref> According to Bukit Aman traffic-police chief SAC Mohd Fuad Abdul Latiff, road conditions and the weather were good at the time of the accident.<ref name="Karpal killed in car crash"/>

Karpal's funeral was held on 20 April 2014 with full state honors in Penang, attended by his family, Prime Minister Najib Razak and other mourners.<ref>"Full state honour at Indo-Malaysian leader Karpal Singh's funeral". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. Retrieved 19 April 2014.</ref> His body reached the Batu Gantong Crematorium, George Town, Penang at 1:35&nbsp;pm and was cremated after thousands of mourners chanted his name.<ref>Chow, Tan Sin (20 April 2014). "Karpal Singh cremated after emotional farewell". The Star (Malaysia). Retrieved 13 February 2018.</ref> His son, Gobind, memorialised him on 5 May during the last of a series of tributes.<ref>Sue-Chern, Looi (6 May 2014). "A Malaysia where all Malaysians are equal, that's the perfect tribute to Karpal, says Gobind". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 9 May 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2018.</ref>

Memorials, awards and accolades

On 19 April 2014, two days after his death, the IJM Promenade in Lebuh Sungai Pinang was renamed Karpal Singh Drive (Persiaran Karpal Singh).<ref>"Penang promenade to be named Karpal Singh Drive". The Star. 20 April 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2018.</ref> The Full Biography: Karpal Singh, Tiger of Jelutong by Tim Donoghue, published in 2014 by Marshal Cavendish International, is an updated edition of Donoghue's Karpal Singh: Tiger of Jelutong which published prior to his death.<ref>Donoghue, Tim (2013). Karpal Singh: Tiger of Jelutong. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd. p. 361. ISBN 9789814516709.</ref><ref>"Karpal Singh, Tiger Of Jelutong Book Launch". Time Out. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2017.</ref><ref>"Karpal's soon-to-be released book was 26 years in the making". The Star Online. 11 August 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2017.</ref> Karpal received the Glory of India Award of Excellence in 2011, and was one of the top 10 NRI Newsmakers of 2008.<ref>"Karpal Singh Ram Singh v Public Prosecutor" (PDF). Criminal Appeal No: W-05-78-03/2014. 3 August 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.</ref><ref>"The Top 10 NRI Newsmakers of 2008". 28 December 2008. Archived from the original on 15 February 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2016 – via The Economic Times.</ref>

Election results

Parliament of Malaysia<ref name=":0">"KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM KE-12". semak.spr.gov.my. Retrieved 6 May 2022.</ref><ref>"KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM - PARLIMEN". resultpru13.spr.gov.my. Archived from the original on 6 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.</ref>

Year	Constituency	Candidate		Votes	Pct	Opponent(s)		Votes	Pct	Ballots cast	Majority	Turnout
1974	P007 Alor Setar	Template:Party shading/Democratic Action Party |	Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP)	9,450	41.32%	Template:Party shading/Barisan Nasional |	Oo Gin Sun (MCA)	13,420	58.68%	23,939	3,970	61.24%
1978	P043 Jelutong	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic Action Party |	Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP)	23,606	51.33%	Template:Party shading/Barisan Nasional |	Lee Him (Gerakan)	19,985	43.45%	47,308	3,621
						Yeap Ghim Guan (SDP)	2,401	5.22%
1982		Template:Party shading/Democratic Action Party |	Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP)	29,099	55.21%	Template:Party shading/Barisan Nasional |	Ooi Ean Kwong (Gerakan)	23,603	44.79%	53,870	5,496	75.77%
1986	P046 Jelutong	Template:Party shading/Democratic Action Party |	Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP)	25,932	62.09%	Template:Party shading/Barisan Nasional |	Lim Boo Chang (Gerakan)	15,833	37.91%	42,723	10,099	71.34%
1990		Template:Party shading/Democratic Action Party |	Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP)	27,426	60.05%	Template:Party shading/Barisan Nasional |	Ooi Ean Kwong (Gerakan)	18,248	39.95%	46,515	9,178	74.87%
1995	P049 Jelutong	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic Action Party |	Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP)	21,896	49.84%	Template:Party shading/Barisan Nasional |	Rhina Bhar @ Rani Raj Pal (Gerakan)	21,613	49.19%	44,922	283	75.05%
		Template:Party shading/United Sabah Party |				Lim Cheak Kow (PBS)	425	0.97%
1999		Template:Party shading/Democratic Action Party |	Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP)	20,716	49.08%	Template:Party shading/Barisan Nasional |	Lee Kah Choon (Gerakan)	21,491	50.92%	43,239	775	72.82%
2004	P051 Bukit Gelugor	Template:Party shading/Democratic Action Party |	Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP)	22,529	51.44%	Template:Party shading/Barisan Nasional |	Lim Boo Chang (MCA)	21,268	48.56%	44,618	1,261	74.21%
2008		Template:Party shading/Democratic Action Party |	Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP)	35,140	71.33%	Template:Party shading/Barisan Nasional |	Koay Kar Huah (MCA)	14,125	28.67%	50,553	21,015	77.05%
2013		Template:Party shading/Democratic Action Party |	Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP)	56,303	80.55%	Template:Party shading/Barisan Nasional |	Teh Beng Yeam (MCA)	13,597	19.45%	70,683	42,706	86.31%

Kedah State Legislative Assembly<ref>TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS, TindakMalaysia, 21 December 2024, retrieved 26 December 2024</ref>

Year	Constituency	Candidate		Votes	Pct	Opponent(s)		Votes	Pct	Ballots cast	Majority	Turnout
1974	N10 Bandar Alor Setar	Template:Party shading/DAP |	Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP)	7,680	55.70%	Template:Party shading/Barisan Nasional |	Geh Teng Keng (Gerakan)	6,108	44.30%	14,487	1,572	65.15%

Penang State Legislative Assembly<ref>1982 general election results. New Straits Times. 24 April 1982. p. 16.</ref><ref>1986 general election results. New Straits Times. 5 August 1986.</ref><ref>"DAP announces SDR. Karpal Singh as its candidate in the Prai by-election « Pursuit of a Malaysian Dream". 7 July 1991.</ref>

Year	Constituency	Candidate		Votes	Pct	Opponent(s)		Votes	Pct	Ballots cast	Majority	Turnout
1978	N27 Bukit Gelugor	Template:Party shading/Democratic Action Party |	Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP)
1982		rowspan=3 Template:Party shading/Democratic Action Party |	Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP)	10,059	50.79%	Template:Party shading/Barisan Nasional |	Lim Kah Pin	9,179	46.35%		880
						Ong Kean Thong (SDP)	426	2.15%
		Template:Party shading/Independent |				Tan Teik Lim (IND)	141	0.71%
1986	N28 Bukit Gelugor	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic Action Party |	Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP)	6,801	60.28%	Template:Party shading/Barisan Nasional |	Ho Sen Feek	4,273	37.87%	11,449	2,528	69.02%
						Lim Kah Pin (SDP)	209	1.85%
1991	N09 Prai	rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic Action Party |	Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP)			Template:Party shading/Barisan Nasional |	V. Muthusamy (MIC)
		Template:Party shading/Independent |				T. Muniandy (IND)
1995	N22 Padang Kota	Template:Party shading/Democratic Action Party |	Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP)	5,737	42.12%	Template:Party shading/Barisan Nasional |	Teng Chang Yeow (Gerakan)	7,939	58.29%		2,560	72.38%
1999	N25 Datok Keramat	Template:Party shading/Democratic Action Party |	Karpal Singh Ram Singh (DAP)	5,451	37.78%	Template:Party shading/Barisan Nasional |	Lim Boo Chang (Gerakan)	8,599	59.60%	14,427	3,148	72.04%

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

• Template:Country data Penang
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of State (DUPN) – Dato' Seri Utama (2020; posthumously)<ref>"The late Karpal Singh heads Penang awards list". The Star Online. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2020.</ref><ref>Mok, Opalyn (15 December 2020). "Penang gives Karpal Singh posthumous award bearing Datuk Seri title". The Malay Mail. Retrieved 15 December 2020.</ref>

See also

• List of Malaysian politicians of Indian descent

External links

• www.karpalsingh.net
• Karpal Singh – Official Democratic Action Party profile

Preceded by Rasiah Rajasingam	Member of Parliament for Jelutong 1978–1999	Succeeded by Lee Kah Choon
Preceded by Constituency created	Member of Parliament for Bukit Gelugor 2004–2014	Succeeded by Ramkarpal Singh
Party political offices
Preceded by Lim Kit Siang	National Chairman of the Democratic Action Party 2004–2014	Succeeded by Tan Kok Wai

<!--Do not sort by "Singh" as this is 

a patronymic, not a surname.-->