GEORGE TOWN, April 18 — Mourners will retrace Karpal Singh’s footsteps through the state capital for his final send-off this Sunday, walking the same path taken by the “Tiger of Jelutong” during his years as a student, a lawyer and finally, a lawmaker.
Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the funeral procession, which is scheduled to begin after a public ceremony at 11am in Dewan Sri Pinang, will stop at places where Karpal marked major milestones in his colourful career.
The first stop will be the Penang High Court, where Karpal, famed for his prowess as a shrewd and sharp-witted lawyer, had fought and won many of his legal battles.
“It will proceed to Green Hall where his legal firm is located and then it will also make stops at the state legislative assembly building which marked his political career and finally his alma mater at St Xaviers Institution,” Chow told a press conference at Karpal’s wake at Jalan Utama.
The cortège will first leave Karpal’s house on Jalan Utama and head to Dewan Sri Pinang at around 8am.
“The public ceremony for the public to pay their last respects at Dewan Sri Pinang will be held from 9am to 11am,” said Chow, who is also the state honours funeral coordinator.
At about 10.30am, a final prayer rites will be held before the procession officially kicks off at 11am.
After the procession, the cortège will head towards the Batu Gantung crematorium for the final funeral rite.
Earlier today, DAP leaders led by party adviser Lim Kit Siang and secretary-general Lim Guan Eng placed the party flag on Karpal’s casket as a mark of honour from the party to it’s late national chairman.
Karpal’s son, Jagdeep Singh Deo, again thanked all well-wishes for their condolence messages over the past two days.
The Datuk Keramat state assemblyman also thanked the state government for according a state honours funeral to his father.
“In his lifetime, my father had never asked for any recognition or accolades for the sacrifices he made and for his work for the people of Malaysia and Penang but this is a big honour for him and for us, which I’m sure he’d be happy to receive such recognition and honour,” he said.
A stream of visitors and well-wishers from parties of both sides of the political divide have been streaming in to Karpal’s wake since yesterday.
State Opposition leader Datuk Jahara Hamid arrived to pay her last respects to this morning.
“I look upon at him as very persistent in his principles and his principles should be emulated by all in Pakatan Rakyat,” she said.
Jahara, who is also a lawyer, said as a fellow practitioner, she looked to Karpal as a principled man who took his profession seriously.
“As a politician, he never become personal, he was always above it and that is why he was always well respected,” she said.
Karpal was killed in a road accident early yesterday morning after the car he was travelling in collided with a lorry near Gua Tempurung.
The wake at Karpal’s house is from 10am to 11pm today and tomorrow.
