KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — DAP cannot assist C. Selvam, the driver charged over the crash that killed Karpal Singh, as it was already acting for the “victims” of the accident, the party’s legal bureau chief Gobind Singh Deo said today.

Gobind, who is also Karpal’s son, said his party already formed a legal team to represent his family, that of Michael Cornelius, a political aide killed in the same crash, and Indonesian maid Selfiana Rengga who was seriously injured.

Gobind explained that this prevented DAP from extending aid to Selvam, following news reports that the driver has been stuck in jail since last month after failing to raise the RM5,000 bail imposed after he was charged.

“Assisting C.Selvam in this case simply does not and cannot arise as we are assisting the victims in this case instead,” he said in a statement today.

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“The Attorney-General has thought it fit to prosecute C.Selvam in this case. We will leave it to him to prosecute and the court to decide the fate of C.Selvam,” he said.

Yesterday, Gobind’s brother Ramkarpal said his family did not post bail for Selvam as it would be “unethical” to do so; he added he could not as he was likely to be called as a prosecution witness.

Karpal, who was the Bukit Gelugor MP, was killed after the Toyota Alphard MPV driven by Selvam crashed following a collision with the lorry along the North-South Highway near Gopeng, Perak on April 17.

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A preliminary police investigation found that the MPV had been travelling on a straight stretch of the highway on a clear night, before it rammed into the right rear end of the lorry.

A preliminary report also found that lorry driver has traces of marijuana in his urine sample. A second sample has been sent to the pathologist at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital for verification.

Today, Gobind said that Selvam must be cleared if he is found innocent in a court of law.

“But if he is found to have committed an offence, he must like everyone else who are subject to the laws of Malaysia, face the necessary consequences,” he said.

Gobind also targeted detractors who took aim at his family and DAP for leaving Selvam in jail, saying their criticism was “sorely misplaced”.

MIC Youth chief C. Sivarraajh and Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) vice-president Huan Cheng Guan have separately said they will post the RM5,000 bail for the Indian national driver tomorrow.

Huan also told news portal The Rakyat Post he will assist the driver with legal services.

The court has fixed August 8 for mention. The charge carries a jail term of up to five years or fine up to RM20,000, or both, upon conviction.