Month: April 2014

The Malay Mail Online
April 22, 2014

KUALA LUMPUR, April 22 — The foreign media should not be attacked for sullying Malaysia’s image in its coverage of the MH370 crisis, veteran journalist Datuk A. Kadir Jasin said, telling local authorities to first look at the circumstances surrounding the missing jetliner before pointing fingers at others.

The former group editor-in-chief for English daily New Straits Times said criticising the press when they were just doing their jobs was akin to “shooting the messenger”.

“It won’t solve the problem, especially if what they’ve reported is the truth,” he said in a blog posting here.

“When one messenger is shot, tens more will arise. The information and communication technology of today allows any person with a computer or a smartphone to become instant journalists should they want to,” he pointed out.

Kadir added that given the lack of answers to the ongoing crisis, and the string of unfortunate incidents that followed the jetliner’s mysterious disappearance last month, it was to be expected that Malaysia would take a beating in the international media. Continue reading “MH370: Ex-NST boss backs foreign press coverage, skewers conspiracy claims”

By Kee Thuan Chye
msn.news
21.4.2014

Kidnappings and illegal immigrants – these are issues that are closely related, because they raise the pressing question of how secure Sabah’s east coast really is. So when a Chinese tourist and a Filipino worker were abducted by gunmen from Singamata Reef Resort off Semporna on April 2, proving once again that marauders from around the surrounding areas and the Philippines can easily penetrate Sabah’s eastern border, the incident also reminded us how easily illegal immigrants have been hopping into Sabah over the decades.

This naturally led to another question. A Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) was established in 2012 to finally investigate the issue of Sabah’s illegal immigrants, and it concluded its hearings on September 20, 2013. But after seven months, we have not yet been told what the six-man panel have recommended. When will the RCI findings be revealed?

Is the Federal Government, as usual, waiting for the right timing to release the findings so that it can use the occasion for its own political leverage? Or is it holding back because the recommendations may be detrimental to its own position? Continue reading “Release the RCI report on Sabah illegal immigrants”

Nur Jazlan
The Malaysian Insider
April 22, 2014

Pertama sekali saya ingin mengucapkan takziah kepada keluarga mendiang bekas Pengerusi DAP, Ahli Parlimen Bukit Gelugor dan peguam terkenal, mendiang Karpal Singh terutamanya anak mendiang, Gobind Singh Deo yang juga Ahli Parlimen Puchong, atas kematian bapanya dalam kemalangan tragis pada awal pagi Jumaat lalu.

Sesungguhnya, mungkin ini kali pertama majlis pengebumian seorang tokoh pembangkang menerima penghormatan tertinggi daripada sebuah negeri dan kematian mendiang Karpal Singh diratapi bukan sahaja ahli keluarganya, rakan-rakan atau ahli DAP tetapi juga seluruh rakyat Malaysia.
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Walaupun tidak mengenali mendiang Karpal Singh yang turut dikenali dengan gelaran ‘Tiger of Jelutong’ secara peribadi, tetapi saya amat kagum dengan kesungguhan serta perjuangan beliau yang tidak berbelah bahagi dalam sistem perundangan negara serta kancah politik negara.

Secara tidak langsung, perjuangan politik mendiang Karpal Singh selama 40 tahun lebih kurang sama dengan arwah ayahanda saya, Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat atau Tok Mat dan mereka juga adalah rakan ketika sama-sama menjadi Ahli Dewan Rakyat bermula sekitar tahun 70-an.

Jika ada yang beranggapan bahawa dengan pemergian mendiang Karpal Singh buat selama-lamanya akan mengubah hala tuju perjuangan parti DAP, saya tidak yakin ia akan berlaku memandangkan parti itu berada dalam ‘kelasnya’ tersendiri dalam kancah politik negara yang begitu mencabar. Continue reading “Perjuangan mendiang Karpal Singh vs perjuangan Umno dan BN”

– Robert Chaen
The Malaysian Insider
April 22, 2014

Karpal Singh was Malaysia’s Gandhi. He was killed in a car accident on April 17 at 1.10am.

Karpal once said that even if he is gone there would be 100 Karpals to take his place.

My name is Robert Chaen, the creator of this cause.

As a tribute to the legacy of the Malaysian icon Karpal Singh and the principles he stood for, we request social media users to change your Facebook and other profile pictures to a Karpal picture, and to share this post on their FB timeline.

We want to inspire netizens to have the courage to stand up for your human rights and principles. We want to send a powerful message to the authorities in Malaysia and any nation in the world to uphold the rule of law, that they can’t silence us through tyranny, and they can’t jail us all.

Take a stand for the rule of law today. Sitting on the fence, constantly complaining about what’s wrong with Malaysia, and doing nothing will not change Malaysia.

Gandhi said “Let me be the change I want to see in the world”. Continue reading “Let 100 Karpals take his place”

BY AMIN ISKANDAR, NEWS EDITOR
The Malaysian Insider
April 22, 2014

The deputy president of PAS has come to the defence of the late Karpal Singh amid accusations of insulting Islam hurled at the veteran lawyer following his death in a car accident last week.

Instead, Mohamad Sabu reminded that it was former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who had insulted the religion by belittling hudud, or the Shariah punishment for serious crimes, adding that Karpal had never insulted the Islamic laws but merely defended the Federal Constitution.

“I am perplexed why Muslims react this way when it was Muslims themselves who insulted hudud, such as the statement by the former prime minister that if hudud was implemented in Kelantan, many Muslims would lose their limbs,” Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu, told The Malaysian Insider in a recent interview.

“Karpal had never insulted (hudud). He had only said that it was against the Constitution,” said Mat Sabu. Mat Sabu was referring to comments last week by Dr Mahathir on the plan by PAS to table the Private Members’ Bill on hudud in the Dewan Rakyat.

Dr Mahathir had said Islamic laws should ensure justice and not be geared towards punishing offenders.

“There are Muslims and non-Muslims in our country. If a Muslim steals, his hand will be chopped off but when a non-Muslim steals, he goes to jail. Is that justice or not?” he asked, adding that “Soon, Muslims will have no hands”.

Mat Sabu said he could not understand why Umno leaders who had come out strongly in opposition to PAS’s plan to implement hudud in Kelantan had kept silent over Dr Mahathir’s remarks. Continue reading “It’s Dr Mahathir, not Karpal, who belittled hudud, says Mat Sabu”

– K.K. Wong
The Malaysian Insider
April 21, 2014

Karpal Singh’s sudden and tragic death is still sinking into the minds of many.

I had the honour of bumping into this great man many years ago in a Bangsar mini market. I remember recognizing him straightaway, but it was he who introduced himself to me. It was this gesture of humility which struck me. He did not take it for granted that everyone should know him.

Karpal Singh has many creditable attributes. To many it was his integrity, his courage, his immense and formidable legal skills which stood him out in the crowd.

There are few who would dare to fight from a position of nothing and yet Karpal Singh did it knowing that he had all the odds stacked against him. He stood firmly for justice and the truth. He was prepared to speak out for what he believed in against a greater authority in many instances of legal confrontations in his career.

He was armed not with power for which he had none, but only with his tremendous and deep legal knowledge, his integrity, his principle for justice and his wit. Continue reading “A tribute to Karpal Singh”

The outpouring of grief and respect by a sea of humanity at Karpal Singh’s funeral in Penang yesterday was a reaffirmation of Malaysians’ support for justice, the rule of law and democracy – the very ideals which Karpal had fought for in his whole life.

For four days, Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region, age or gender, grieved at the sudden and shocking death of Karpal at an accident at the North-South Expressway near Gua Tempurung.

The nation-wide grief and shock over Karpal’s death was so great and overwhelming that over these four days, the great tragedy of MH370 with 239 passengers and crew vanishing without any clue since March 8 and the shocking ESSCOM security situation with a tourist from China abducted at the Singamata Reef Resort off Semporna on April 2 were momentarily edged aside.

But Karpal, if still alive, would want proper closure for these two shocking events. Continue reading “Outpouring of grief and respect by sea of humanity at Karpal’s funeral reaffirmation of Malaysians’ support for justice, rule of law and democracy – the very ideals Karpal fought for in his whole life”

The Malay Mail Online
April 21, 2014

SEPANG, April 21 — Passengers of a troubled MAS flight to Bengaluru (Bangalore), India, praised the pilot for having turned back and landed the aircraft safely at the KL International Airport early today.

Passenger Masluhuddin Khan, 30s, an Australian national of Indian descent, said that though it was the most frightening experience of his life, he was glad that the pilot made a ‘perfect’ emergency landing.

MAS Flight MH192 left KLIA at 10.09 pm yesterday for Bengaluru but detected a right landing gear malfunction, turned back and made an emergency landing at KLIA at 1.56am today.

The plane, carrying 159 passengers and seven crew, was piloted by Capt Nor Adam Azmi, with Prakash Kumar as the co-pilot.

Masluhuddin said the pilot kept the passengers informed through the intercom system every 20 minutes of the measures he was taking as the aircraft maintained a holding pattern for about four hours.

“All the passengers were cool and calm on board; everything went well inside the cabin,” he said when met by reporters. Continue reading “Passengers praise MAS pilot for landing troubled flight safely”

COMMENTARY BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
April 21, 2014

The late DAP leader Karpal Singh’s funeral in Penang yesterday has been the biggest outpouring of grief in Malaysia since Tunku Abdul Rahman’s funeral in December 1990.

The crowd lining the George Town roads yesterday roared the prominent lawyer and politician’s name. Thousands others followed the cortege with Karpal’s body to the Batu Gantung crematorium for his final journey.

Penang wept for its favourite son, Malaysia cried for the loss of an influential lawmaker, lawyer and leader. Continue reading “Grief over Karpal reflects Malaysians’ affection for principled people”

by Muzliza Mustafa
The Malaysian Insider
April 21, 2014

Passengers on Malaysia Airlines flight MH192 bound for Bangalore, which had to return to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport a few hours later after its departure last night, praised the crew for handling the situation calmly.

Passengers said the aircraft had a “bumpy” take-off when it departed from KLIA about 10.15pm yesterday.

Marta Alonso, a telecommunication engineer from Spain, said she knew something was not right as soon as the plane took off.

“It was bumpy and shaky. Not long after that the pilot announced we needed to make an emergency landing. It was frightening,” she said at the airport today.

Alonso was one of the 159 passengers and seven crew members onboard of the Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

She said the cabin crew, however, remained under control.

“It was calm. The pilot did a good job by giving a constant update on the situation,” she said. Continue reading “Passengers on MH192 praise pilot’s calm handling of situation”

By David Learmount
Flightglobal
17 April, 2014

The least unlikely cause for the disappearance of MH370, based on what little we know about the final flight, is that a person with a sharp mind and a plan, but who was emotionally unbalanced, took control of the aeroplane.

It could have been one of the pilots, or someone else on board who had the means to persuade the pilots to depart from official cockpit security procedures, possibly in a friendly way.

Cabin crew? Nobody knows, and there is certainly no direct evidence. Continue reading “Why MH370 probably won’t be found”

Koh Jun Lin
Malaysiakini
1:51AM Apr 21, 2014

Passengers on board Malaysian Airlines Flight MH192 faced a four hour terror ride after the landing gear malfunctioned shortly after take off, forcing a turnback and several attempts at an emergency landing.

At about 2am, the plane successfully made an emergency landing. There were 166 people on board.

Flight MH192 departed at 10.09pm for Bangalore last night. The Boeing 737-800 aircraft was supposed to have arrived at 2.35am (Malaysian time) today.

In a press release after the plane had landed, MAS said the right main landing tire had burst during take off.

“The captain was alerted by Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control that tyre debris were found on the runway and immediately contacted Malaysia Airlines Operations Control Centre (OCC) at 10:25pm.

“As safety is of utmost priority to Malaysia Airlines, the aircraft was required to turn back to KLIA,” said MAS. Continue reading “Suspense as MH192 makes dramatic emergency landing”

by Greg Botelho and Ed Payne, CNN
April 20, 2014

(CNN) — The underwater drone scanning for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 finished its seventh mission Sunday, having covered about half its intended territory without finding any sign of the missing plane.

This has been the case for 44 days now, which seems like an eternity for the relatives of the 239 passengers and crew on board, still hoping for a miracle or, at least, closure.

The Bluefin-21 drone started its eighth mission soon after the previous one ended Sunday morning, surveying the bottom of the southern Indian Ocean for traces of the Boeing 777.

These efforts may be a main focus of the search, but they aren’t the only part. Continue reading “Flight 370: Underwater drones find nothing after scouring half of search area”

Jeswan Kaur| April 20, 2014
Free Malaysia Today

Karpal Singh’s no-nonsense approach to BN’s machievallian ways of staying in power scared the wits out of those standing in his way for a just nation

COMMENT

If there was one voice that dared rattle the ruling government of Barisan Nasional, it was that of DAP’s Karpal Singh. His no-nonsense reaction to the BN leadership’s machievallian ways of staying in power scared the wits out of the ruling government. And it also made BN dislike Karpal, because he had the guts to pull the rug from beneath the federal government’s feet.

For over four decades as a politician, Karpal did just that – raising the red flag and cautioning the BN government of the latter’s nefarious ways of administering the country. The nation’s leaders, instead of taking cognisance of Karpal’s wise counsel, did the contrary – they punished him for speaking the truth.

The October 1987 Operasi Lalang saw Karpal along with many other opposition politicians detained, purportedly for inciting “racial tension”. He remained in prison until January 1989 and was declared a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International.

Karpal was detained under the now defunct Internal Security Act. If BN leaders thought the political hardships thrown at Karpal would scare him, they were in for a rude surprise.

Karpal refused to cower under pressure. His fight for a Malaysia that was fair and just was endless with the indefatigable Karpal determined to battle corrupt powers until the end. Continue reading “One voice that dared rattle the establishment”

By Zalinah Noordin and Michael Murty
The Rakyat Post
20.4.2014

GEORGE TOWN, April 20:

The streets of Penang today were filled with tens of thousands of people from all walks of life who came out to celebrate the life of the late Karpal Singh.

The day started as early as 6am at Karpal’s residence today with many gathering outside his bungalow in Jalan Utama even before the gates were opened at 7.30am.

Things started to pick up from there as Karpal’s hearse left his home, accompanied by his eldest son, Jagdeep Singh Deo. Continue reading “A grand send-off for the Tiger of Jelutong”

by Himanshu Bhattand Sangeetha Amarthalingam And Azril Annuar

FZ.COM
Apr 20, 2014

GEORGE TOWN (April 20): It was the sort of send-off never before seen by Malaysians in living memory.The dramatic outpouring of of adulation as the cortege of the late Karpal Singh passed through the streets of his hometown of Penang will surely reverberate in the annals of our history.

It was indeed a sumptuous tribute to a most iconic and colourful hero of our times.

Karpal, 74, who passed away in an accident in the pre-dawn hours of April 17, was neither a minister nor an official dignitary, and did not hold any position in the government.

He was an opposition parliamentarian and an advocate noted for his courageous and bold stands for various segments of society.

At the same time he was reviled by the powers that be for his indignant and untiring efforts to weed out malpractices and misgovernment.

Karpal, had in his long and eventful career in law and politics been famously incarcerated without trial under the draconian Internal Security Act.

In fact, prior to his death he was on the verge of appealing a sedition-related sentence of RM4,000 fine which would have stripped him of his status as an MP for Bukit Gelugor.

However, as it had so happened, the immense tributes and public grief from all segments of society at the epilogue of his life have appeared as vindication of his unwavering commitment to stick by his principles, no matter the challenges heaped against him. Continue reading “Awe, hysteria and vindication at Karpal’s funeral”

The following are my tweets today on Karpal Singh’s political tsunami of a funeral:

1. Today 20/4/14 countless Msians, physically or in spirit, will accompany the Tiger of Jelutong on his last journey. pic.twitter.com/DRoqIyTOMj

2. Even before arrival of Karpal’s cortege at Dewan Sri Penang for public lying-in-state, large crowds have gathered to pay their last respects

3. Vibrant air of expectancy with cortege arrival at Dewan Sri Pinang – mark of a great man who has left behind great imprints in sands of time

4. Sombre entry of Karpal’s cortege into Dewan Sri Pinang with heart-rending “Oh when the saints go marching in” and “auld Lang Syne”.

5. Old and young, men and women, of all races, religions, regions filed past in swift unceasing flow in love n last respect 4Karpal – 1MALAYSIA! Continue reading “Tweets on Karpal’s political tsunami of a funeral”

Lim Guan Eng
Malaysiakini
Apr 20, 2014

EULOGY We mourn the untimely and unexpected passing of DAP national chairperson and Member of Parliament for Bukit Gelugor, Saudara Karpal Singh.

Karpal is an eight-term MP, for Bukit Gelugor and Jelutong, as well as a three- term state assemblyman in Penang, first elected in 1978.

For 40 years, Karpal dedicated his life to the legal profession, fighting for justice, upholding our constitutional rights to freedom and human rights. His landmark cases are textbook references for lawyers.

A devoted father and husband to his wife Gurmit Kaur, both of them brought up five children who are all successful practising lawyers, except for the youngest who is an accountant. The eldest, Jagdeep is at present a Penang state executive councillor, while the second eldest Gobind is the Member of Parliament for Puchong.

With his life suddenly cut short at 74 years, following the tragic accident on the highway on April 17, Penang has lost an upstanding and outstanding leader and lawyer. The rakyat lost a fearless “tiger” with an indomitable spirit who stood up for the poor, weak, defenceless and dispossessed.

Karpal’s fighting spirit stands out

But it his fighting spirit that stands out. You can detain Karpal physically, but you can never detain his spirit. Continue reading “Mourn, but fete Karpal’s achievements, too”

BY SHAZWAN MUSTAFA KAMAL
The Malaysian Insider
APRIL 20, 2014

GEORGE TOWN, April 20 — The streets of Penang’s historical city centre roared with the voices of thousands calling out the name of their state’s beloved son — Karpal Singh.

Elbows jostled with shoulders as admirers of the late lawyer and lawmaker surged through a sea of bodies for a final glimpse of their hero as his casket was loaded onto a hearse for the state funeral procession around the streets of George Town, where Karpal had studied, set up his legal practice, fought epic courtroom battles and debated the law.

Emotions ran high as the huge crowd, which had gathered in front of Dewan Sri Pinang as early as 7am, shouted in unison “Karpal Singh! Karpal Singh! Karpal Singh!”

Banners and posters bearing the deceased Bukit Gelugor MP’s familiar face were placed all over the entrance of the building; tents were erected to allow visitors a place to rest and to shelter from the sweltering heat.

Inside the town hall, family members recited last prayer rites for Karpal. Outside the chanting tumult swelled to a roar. Continue reading “In funeral procession, thousands chant ‘Karpal Singh! Karpal Singh! Karpal Singh’ (VIDEO)”

Paul Farrell in Perth
Guardian
19 April 2014

Fifteen-hour days are par for the course for the unsung heroes on the frontline of the aerial search for the missing plane

On the frontline of the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane, one brief second can make all the difference.

“You might have a second or a second and a half between seeing something and it disappearing from your view,” said Jim Maclean, one of the searchers who has been with the Perth state emergency service (SES) for 32 years.

“So you’ve got to look at it, identify it and decide whether it warrants being called in before it disappears out the side of your view. It’s quite intense, you’ve got to be really concentrating all the time,” he said.

But the group of people doing perhaps the most important job in the search are taking on the task without payment. The SES air search observers are ordinary Australians and they are all volunteers. There are now more than 200 involved in the search from across the country, who have put in more than 2,000 hours of flight time searching for the missing plane. Continue reading “SES volunteers the eagle eyes of the MH370 search”