Offers of help for Karpal’s driver but not from DAP

The driver is in a Perak prison and cannot afford to post bail.

GEORGE TOWN - Several political parties are willing to help Karpal Singh’s driver C. Selvam, who is in a Perak prison after being charged with dangerous and reckless driving on July 9 at the Kampar Sessions Court.

The DAP has kept mum on helping Selvam.

Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) is ready to post the RM5,000 bail and render legal services.

PCM vice-president Huan Cheng Guan said he would step in to help Selvam, an Indian national, if Karpal’s family or the DAP failed to do it.

Selvam was driving the car in the fatal accident on April 17, which killed former Bukit Gelugor MP and DAP national chairman Karpal, then 74.

Karpal’s personal aide Michael Cornelius, 39, also died in the accident that took place along the North-South Expressway near Kampar.

Selvam, 27 and Karpal’s son Ramkarpal, 38, who was voted in to succeed his father as the Bukit Gelugor MP in the May 25 by-elections, escaped with minor injuries.

An Indonesian maid Selfiana Rengga, 26, however sustained serious injuries but has since recovered.

Selvam was remanded at a Tapah prison after he failed to post the RM5,000 bail the court had set.

“I will go and bail him out on Monday if Karpal’s family and the DAP fail to so,” Huan told FMT here today.

Huan expressed shock that Karpal’s family of four lawyers, and DAP that had many lawyers among them, could not post bail or engage a lawyer to represent Selvam.

He noted that DAP was very quick to offer legal aid to road rage offender Kiki to appeal against the sentence she received from the Kuantan Sessions Court last month.

Kiki is the nickname of Siti Fairrah Ashykin Kamaruddin, the subject of a video that recently went viral. The clip shows her verbally abusing an elderly Chinese man and battering his car with a steering lock.

Selvam’s case is up for mention on August 8.

The charge carries a jail term of up to five years or a fine of up to RM20,000 or both, upon conviction.

MIC Youth also stepped in promising to help Selvam with bail and legal help.

The MCA Publicity Bureau deputy chairman Marco Yap said he was surprised DAP with its vast pool of lawyers, have not offered help to Selvam yet.