PETALING JAYA - DAP veteran leader and Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh died in a car crash near Gua Tempurung early Thursday. The accident occurred at about 1am.
Also killed was his personal assistant Michael Cornelius, 39. Both of them died on the spot while three other passengers, including Karpal’s son Ramkarpal, were injured. One of them, believed to be Karpal’s Indonesian maid, is said to be seriously hurt.
The accident happened when Karpal’s vehicle hit a slow moving lorry.
74-year-old Karpal was travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Penang to attend a court hearing later today.
Bernama quoted Kampar OCPD Supt Ng Kong Soon as saying the white Toyota Alphard MPV carrying Karpal and four others from Kuala Lumpur to Penang was involved in the collision with the lorry moving slowly ahead of it at a hilly stretch of the highway.
The five-tonne lorry was carrying a load of cement, steel and mosaic tiles, he said.
The injured maid and the bodies of Karpal and Michael were taken to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh, he added.
Michael Cornelius was Karpal’s loyal assistant who has been attending to the veteran lawyer’s needs since he was wheelchair-bound in a 2005 accident. Police identified the driver of the vehicle as C Selvam Edayatti Pangayam Vellu, from India.
Bukit Aman traffic police chief SAC Mohd Fuad Abdul Latiff said the left side of the Alphard was crushed after it rammed into the right side of the lorry.
He said road conditions at the time of the accident were normal and it was not raining.
Police are questioning the lorry driver identified as Abu Mansor Mohd, 45. He was in the lorry with two passengers known as Nur Azlina Ahmad, 23, and Nunrieman Diana Qhaleesha Abdullah, four.
Karpal Singh & Michael Cornelius (2)Photograph on the right shows Karpal and Micheal the last time they were in Penang for a press conference in Air Itam. The press conference on March 29 was held to announce Karpal’s resignation as DAP national chairman following his conviction for sedition. He was fined RM4,000 and had appealed against the fine but decided to stand down from his post pending the outcome of the appeal.
The outspoken Karpal — wheelchair-bound following a 2005 road accident — emerged as a leading lawyer in the 1970s. He was detained in 1987 for more than a year under a tough crackdown on opposition figures.
Fearless voice
In an immediate tribute, Proham secretary-general Denison Jayasooria said Karpal’s death was a big loss to the nation.
“The late Karpal Singh was an outstanding lawyer, parliamentarian, politician and human rights defender.
“He has been a voice for the oppressed and he was fearless in his defence for truth, justice, fairness and equality.
“His reflections and actions will continue to be remembered as a legacy for nation building. Our prayers for the family and for God Almighty to comfort them all,” he said.
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, upon landing in Turkey on an official visit, also tweeted to express his condolences.
“I have just landed at Ankara when I heard the news that YB Karpal Singh died in a road accident . My condolences to the family,” said his tweet.
FMT Staff
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