Day: May 6, 2014

by Liew Chin Tong
fz.com
May 05, 2014

The funeral rites for Karpal Singh ended with family members scattering his ashes in the sea off Green Hall, Penang, but the national soul-searching to understand his legacy and to commemorate it has just begun.

The massive outpouring of grief, especially at the funeral on April 20, 2014, for a statesman who had actually never held executive power was indeed unprecedented. Karpal’s legacies as a human rights lawyer and a staunch defender of constitutional democracy, and his leadership in DAP will be remembered, studied and perhaps critiqued.

The cruel attempt that was ongoing when Karpal died, to disqualify him as MP and even to jail him, will continue to haunt the ruling party with his image as victim and martyr “sealed” with his demise. Karpal’s perseverance against physical disability will also continue to inspire many, and hopefully his tragic accident on the highway will help the push for better transportation. Continue reading “Karpal Singh – Will for Justice”

by Looi Sue-Chern
The Malaysian Insider
May 06, 2014

The greatest tribute Malaysians could give to the late Karpal Singh would be to build a new Malaysia where everyone will be treated fairly and equally. That was the message at the last leg of a series of tributes for the Bukit Gelugor MP which coincided with the first anniversary of GE13.

Karpal’s son Gobind Singh Deo yesterday urged the people to remember his father’s fighting spirit and see his dreams realised with a new government in Putrajaya in the next general election.

“What is important is to remember how he lived because he was a man who fought for us and this country, believing that this country can change one day… a Malaysia where all Malaysians are equal and treated fairly by our government.

“If there was darkness, Karpal was the light. If there was weakness, it was him who gave us strength.

“But now that he is no longer with us, are we going to back down now because Karpal is no longer with us? Do we stop our fight because he is no longer here with us? Or do we remember the fighting spirit that the Tiger of Jelutong has left behind?” he said at the memorial held in Penang last night at the Hanchiang High School’s Lim Lean Teng hall. Continue reading “A Malaysia where all Malaysians are equal, that’s the perfect tribute to Karpal, says Gobind”

COMMENTARY BY THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
MAY 05, 2014

One year after the Barisan Nasional (BN) won the 13th general election (GE13) with fewer votes and fewer seats, more lawmakers from the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) find themselves at the wrong end of the law and risking jail time.

Tomorrow, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok will be charged with sedition, weeks after the late Karpal Singh was convicted of the same charge.

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim faces the possibility of jail for a second sodomy conviction while his PKR party colleague Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad is expected to charged again under the Peaceful Assembly Act.

Just two weeks ago, the Court of Appeal had declared Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act – which criminalises the failure to give 10-day notice before a gathering – to be unconstitutional.

And in July 2012, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced that the Sedition Act will be repealed and replaced by a National Harmony Act. That has yet to take place and instead, more people have been charged with sedition. Continue reading “Winning GE13 convincingly, by jailing political foes a year later?”

BY ANISAH SHUKRY
The Malaysian Insider
MAY 06, 2014

Election 2013 could be the last strong win by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) as the issue of hudud, internal party conflicts and a lack of effort to court rural voters will hurt its chances in the next general election, a forum was told last night.

Speaking at the “GE 14: Will there be another political tsunami?” forum, panellists Liew Chin Tong, Wan Hamidi Hamid and Hishamuddin Rais noted that in the past year since the May 5 polls, the opposition pact had gained little ground in their dream to capture Putrajaya despite winning more seats in the 13th general election.

Liew said the hudud issue had worsened PR’s chances of triggering a political tsunami in the next election, and urged its Islamist ally PAS to review its priorities.

“Hudud was a strategy for PAS to affirm its Islamic identity. But does it remain a relevant strategy, or are we just trapping ourselves behind this one single theme? What is our priority? Hudud, or economic justice?” the Kluang MP said at the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall. Continue reading “Pakatan can’t sustain strong GE13 win in next polls due to internal strife, disagreements, forum told”