GEORGE TOWN, April 20 — The tens of thousands who thronged the streets of Penang for Karpal Singh’s funeral today were a testimony to the Malaysian Malaysia the lawyer, lawmaker and DAP leader sought to build in the 73 years of his life.
United in their grief, the mourners wept and wailed the loss of their “Tiger of Jelutong”. The air reverberated as others picked up the chant, “Karpal Singh!”, “Tiger!”
As one, they trailed the funeral procession as it traced the path Karpal had trod over the years from a schoolboy under the guidance of one of the country’s oldest educational institutions to where he carved out an illustrious career in law.
Accompanied by thousands of motorcyclists, cyclists, bikers and pedestrians, they first made a trip around the Penang court complex where Karpal had fought and won many cases.
The cortège came to a stop, for a brief moment, at the front entrance of the court complex which is just opposite Green Hall, where his legal firm is located.
It then made its way slowly down Light Street towards the Penang Legislative Assembly building.
This was where Karpal’s budding political career started when he was first elected as a state assemblyman in 1978.
Thousands filled the road and sidewalks as the cortège move to Karpal’s alma mater, the 162-year-old St Xavier’s Institution along Farquhar Street.
The school band led the cortège in honour of one of their most successful and prominent alumni.
After a brief stop there, the cortège then turned into Penang Road where people are already lining the road to send the late Bukit Gelugor MP off.
From here, it turned into Burmah Road where it slowed down briefly at the junction of Rangoon Road where the Penang DAP headquarters is located.
A crowd of a few hundred also gathered at the Batu Gantung crematorium to wait for the cortège.
The cortège arrived at the crematorium at about 1.30pm.
Huge crowds were gathered all around the area outside the cremation chamber and after about 30 minutes of chanting and prayers, the casket was lifted out of the hearse.
This was greeted by shouts of “Karpal Singh” and loud applause as the casket was brought in.
The casket was placed on a metal stand and preparations were made to wheel the casket into the cremation chamber.
Karpal’s second son, Gobind Singh Deo, stood up to ask the restless crowd to quiet down to allow them to conduct the prayers.
After a moment, Jagdeep Singh Deo, told the crowd and media to disperse and to allow the family some private moments alone with Karpal.
However, the crowd refused to leave, though many respected the family’s wishes not to take any more videos or photographs.
Everyone in the family were sobbing as they perform the final rites for a loving father and husband who was loved by many in Penang.
His widow Gurmit Kaur was crying by the casket while daughter Sangeet Kaur Deo was seen flinging herself onto the casket a few times.
At about 2.40pm, the casket was wheeled into the cremation chamber and the family performed another prayer.
The crowd only started to disperse after the family left to head to the Wadda Gurdwara Penang for another prayer session to pray for peace for Karpal’s soul.
The family is expected to collect the ashes tomorrow and it will be strewn in the sea as per the Sikh custom.
