Khamis, 17 April 2014

Suara Sri Andalas

Suara Sri Andalas


Azmin Evokes Historical Revolutionaries, Kicks off Keadilanraya Campaign

Posted: 17 Apr 2014 09:40 PM PDT

Menziarahi Mendiang YB Karpal Singh di Pulau Pinang

Posted: 17 Apr 2014 09:30 PM PDT

YB Dr Xavier Jayakumar dan delegasi KEADILAN yang dipimpin YB Azmin Ali ke Pulau Pinang menziarahi mendiang YB Karpal Singh pada pagi ini. Takziah diucapkan kepada seluruh ahli keluarganya.



Azmin Akan Kekal Jawatan Kerana Perpecahan Undi Pencabar, Kata Penganalisis

Posted: 17 Apr 2014 09:20 PM PDT

Penganalisis meramalkan penyandang jawatan Timbalan Presiden PKR, Mohamed Azmin Ali akan berjaya mempertahankan jawatannya walaupun mendapat tentangan sengit daripada Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim dan Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail kerana perpecahan undi daripada kelompok penentangnya.

Azmin yang juga ahli Parlimen Gombak dan Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Bukit Antarabangsa dikatakan mempunyai kelebihan daripada segi sokongan dan kemahiran berpolitik.

"Azmin merupakan penyandang timbalan presiden, sudah tentu mempunyai kekuatan akar umbi yang kukuh," kata Prof Madya Dr Shaharuddin Badaruddin daripada Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) kepada The Malaysian Insider.

Shaharuddin berkata, beliau menjangkakan, Azmin akan beroleh kelebihan dalam pertandingan empat penjuru itu memandangkan beliau bersama PKR sejak 15 tahun lalu berbanding Khalid yang menyertai parti itu sekitar 2007.

Selain Azmin, Khalid dan Saifuddin, jawatan timbalan presiden PKR turut ditandingi oleh Datuk K Ramachandram dari PKR cabang Hulu Langat.

Shaharuddin yang mengajar di Fakulti Sains Pentadbiran dan Pengajian Polisi UiTM berkata, penyertaan Saifuddin yang juga setiausaha agung PKR, hanyalah untuk meredakan ketegangan antara Azmin dan Khalid yang akan memberikan kesan jangka panjang kepada PKR.

Dr Oh Ei Sun daripada Sekolah Pengajian Antarabangsa S Rajaratnam, Singapura pula meramalkan Azmin akan mengekalkan jawatan yang disandangnya berdasarkan pengalaman dan cara berpolitiknya.

"Khalid kurang dikenali dan tidak mahir berpolitik berbanding Azmin.

"Saifuddin seorang pekerja parti tapi tidak semahir Azmin," kata.

Khalid dan Saifuddin dianggap berada dalam satu pasukan sama dalam kempen "Asal Bukan Azmin" yang digerakkan oleh sesetengah kumpulan dalam PKR.

Sementara itu, Pengerusi Eksekutif Ilham Centre, Mohamad Hisomudin Bakar menyifatkan keputusan Saifuddin secara mengejut masuk bertanding menyebabkan anggota PKR terkeliru sama ada memilih Khalid atau Saifuddin.

"Bagi mereka (yang tidak menyokong Azmin) berkongsi satu matlamat untuk melawan Azmin selaku timbalan presiden tapi apabila Saifuddin masuk, perkiraan umum akan melihat ini akan pecah undi.

"Mana-mana undi Azmin akan kekal, manakala undi yang menolak Azmin akan pecah kepada dua iaitu Khalid dan Saifuddin," katanya.

Hisomudin juga tidak menolak keputusan Saifuddin untuk mencabar Azmin mendapat sokongan pemimpin berpengaruh dalam parti tersebut.

"Ia menimbulkan persoalan, mengapa Saifuddin masuk bertanding juga.

"Sudah tentu anggota parti yang tidak menyokong Azmin akan membaca Saifuddin ini tidak akan mengambil keputusan yang begitu besar tanpa ada arahan ataupun isyarat daripada Anwar," katanya.

Hisomudin berkata, pemilihan PKR kali ini bergantung kepada empat negeri yang mempunyai anggota teramai bermula di Selangor, Sabah, Pulau Pinang dan Perak.

Walaupun Azmin dilihat defensif pada ketika ini, pengaruh akar umbinya di dua kubu PKR iaitu Selangor dan Sabah menyebabkan beliau sukar digugat.

Daripada 500,001 ahli PKR yang layak membuat pilihan kali ini, hampir separuh daripada mereka berada di Selangor dan Sabah.

Selangor mempunyai 144,020 ahli manakala Sabah mempunyai 86,955 ahli PKR. Azmin merupakan pengerusi PKR Selangor dan bekas pengerusi PKR Sabah sebelum ini.

Namun, berdasarkan rekod pemilihan 2010, hanya 14% sahaja keluar membuang undi daripada jumlah ahli yang layak. Dari manakah jumlah 14% itu bergantung kepada kempen yang mereka buat.

PKR akan mengadakan pemilihan secara langsung untuk memilih pemimpin di semua peringkat, termasuk jawatan tertinggi parti. Pemilihan bermula pada 25 April dan berakhir pada 11 Mei.

Sumber: TheMalaysianInsider

Anwar: Ini Mungkin Pidato Terakhir Saya

Posted: 17 Apr 2014 09:00 PM PDT

Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim nampaknya bersedia untuk sebarang kemungkinan berhubung rayuan terhadap hukuman lima tahun kes penjara dalam kes liwat terhadapnya.

Berucap dalam ceramah Reformasi 2.0 di Seberang Jaya malam tadi, anggota Parlimen Permatang Pauh itu berkata:

"Ini mungkin pidato terakhir saya di sini."

Beliau antaranya mengingatkan orang ramai terhadap "ketidakadilan" sekitar kesnya.

Pada 7 Mac, Mahkamah Rayuan di Putrajaya mendapati beliau bersalah dan menjatuhkan hukuman lima tahun terhadapnya selepas rayuan terhadap pembebasannya yang dibuat  di Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur sebelum itu.
 

Ketua Umum PKR itu kini mempunyai sepuluh hari untuk memfailkan rayuan terhadap hukuman itu.

Beliau kini harus menjadi peguam baru ekoran kematian peguam yang mewakilinya Karpal Singh dalam kemalangan tragik semalam.

Beliau juga mengingatkan penonton supaya terus berdoa kepada Allah sementara menunggu hukuman.

Anwar juga berharap penyokongnya akan mempertahankan kerusi anggota Parlimen yang disandangkan di situ jika beliau hilang kelayakan ekoran keputusan mahkamah tidak memihak padanya.


Sumber: MalaysiaKini

Karpal Dikenang Dalam Himpunan Reformasi 2.0

Posted: 17 Apr 2014 08:30 PM PDT

Himpunan Reformasi 2.0 yang berlangsung di Pulau Pinang malam tadi menjadi acara memperingati mendiang Karpal Singh dan mereka yang berucap turut menyampaikan ucapan mengenang pemergian bekas pengerusi DAP itu.

Ketua Pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, berkata Karpal bimbang hukuman penjara lima tahun dalam rayuan kes liwatnya.

Beliau yang juga merupakan ketua umum PKR berkata, isteri kepada pemimpin veteran DAP itu, Gurmit Kaur memberitahu Karpal sangat marah mengenai kes itu.

"Pemergiannya satu kehilangan peribadi kepada saya, (Datuk Seri Dr Wan) Azizah (Wan Ismail) dan keluarga saya," katanya.

Anwar di depan ratusan yang berhimpun pada acara itu berkata, Karpal cuba menghubunginya pada petang Rabu.

"Beliau cuba menghubungi saya sebanyak empat kali pada 6.30 petang. Saya hubunginya semula dan Karpal memberitahu kita hanya ada 10 hari untuk hantar rayuan kepada Mahkamah Persekutuan.

"Katanya, jangan bimbang. Dia minta kepada saya untuk teruskan.

"Karpal berkata beliau akan membuat permohonan dan melakukan yang terbaik untuk memenangi kes ini," katanya.

Anwar didapati bersalah meliwat bekas pembantunya pada 2008 oleh Mahkamah Rayuan bulan lalu.

Mahkamah Rayuan menolak keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur yang membebaskan Anwar pada Januari 2012.

Anwar membuat rayuan terhadap hukuman penjara. Sekiranya beliau gagal dalam rayuan, hukuman penjara akan berjalan dan pilihan raya kecil kerusi Parlimen Permatang Pauh juga akan diadakan.

Anwar berkata, hukuman penjara yang dikenakan kepadanya tidak akan menghentikan isu seperti kenaikan harga barang.

Katanya, Karpal bukan sahaja sekadar peguam tetapi dianggap sebagai ahli keluarganya sendiri.

Beliau berkata, Karpal tidak mengenakan sebarang bayaran bagi khidmat guaman yang diberikan.

"Ketika saya dalam perbicaraan, wang dikumpul untuk membayar Karpal tetapi beliau tidak mengambilnya. Beliau tidak mengambilnya kerana saya mengorbankan diri saya sendiri.

"Katanya, khidmat guaman bagi mempertahankan saya adalah sebagai sumbangan kecil. Itulah Karpal Singh," katanya.

Karpal terbunuh dalam kemalangan jalan raya di Lebuhraya Utara Selatan berhampiran Kampar, Perak kira-kira 1 pagi semalam.

Beliau dalam perjalanan ke Pulau Pinang dari Kuala Lumpur untuk kes perbicaraan bunuh di Mahkamah Tinggi Pulau Pinang.

Karpal maut di tempat kejadian. Pembantunya, Michael Cornelius Selvam Vellu turut maut sementara anak Karpal, Ramkarpal dan pemandu terselamat.

Pada perhimpunan semalam, mereka yang hadir bertafakur selama seminit bagi menghormati pemergian peguam terhormat itu.

Pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat (PR) yang turut memberi penghormatan ialah Ahli Parlimen Bayan Baru, Sim Tze Tzin; Pesuruhjaya PAS Pulau Pinang, Mohamad Sabu; Pengarah Strategi PKR, Rafizi Ramli; ahli exco kerajaan negeri Pulau Pinang, Dr Afif Bahardin dan timbalan speaker Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

Antara yang turut menyampaikan ucapan semalam ialah Setiausaha Agung PKR, Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail yang membangkitkan soal gerakan reformasi, sistem kehakiman, Cukai Barangan dan Perkhidmatan (GST) serta beberapa isu lain.

Beliau turut menggesa hadirin menyertai himpunan jalanan pada 1 Mei ini di Kuala Lumpur bagi menentang GST dan kenaikan harga barang.

Sumber: TheMalaysianInsider

Karpal Singh Tinggalkan Tandanya Dalam Undang-undang Malaysia, Kata Pakar Perundangan

Posted: 17 Apr 2014 08:00 PM PDT

Sepanjang berada dalam kerjaya undang-undang untuk hampir separuh abad, mendiang Karpal Singh banyak memberi sumbangan kepada pembangunan undang-undang jenayah dan sivil Malaysia dengan hampir 600 petikan dalam Jurnal Undang-undang Malaysia, kata pemikir undang-undang.

Mereka memberitahu The Malaysian Insider, helang undang-undang terkemuka itu, yang maut dalam kemalangan jalan raya semalam, mampu melakukannya kerana beliau merupakan peguam serba boleh yang berani berhujah dan membantah kes di mahkamah.

Mereka berkata, Karpal mempunyai kelebihan untuk menyatakan mengapa undang-undang tertentu tidak boleh diguna pakai dan perlu pindaan kerana beliau turut boleh melobi untuk membolehkan perubahan berlaku di Parlimen.

Karpal juga adalah contoh terbaik kepada pelajar undang-undang kerana memiliki kualiti yang diperlukan untuk menjadi peguam yang berani, kata mereka.

Peguam, Datuk K Kumaraendran yang berpangkalan di Pulau Pinang dan memulakan kerjaya peguam pada masa sama dengan Karpal, berkata peguam dan ahli politik itu sering mengambil kes yang membabitkan bebanan bukti.

"Demi kepentingan keadilan, beliau membangunkan undang-undang itu kerana wujud ketidakpastian mengenai isu tidak bersalah hingga terbukti bersalah," kata Kumaraendan yang sering bersama Karpal mengendalikan kes jenayah pada lewat 1970-an dan awal 1980-an.

Kumaraendan yang memulakan kerjaya undang-undangnya di Alor Star bersama Karpal berkata, mendiang adalah perintis kepada peguam yang membawa kes pengedaran dadah dan habeas corpus.

"Beliau adalah peguam yang bertanggungjawab menyebabkan mahkamah apex di Malaysia lebih jelas mengenai isu anggapan berganda dalam kes pengedaran dadah," katanya dan menambah penghakiman mahkamah selepas itu banyak menyelamatkan tertuduh daripada tali gantung.

(Dalam tanggapan berganda mahkamah perlu membuat keputusan sama ada jenayah dilakukan itu adalah pemilikan atau pengedaran, bukan kedua-duanya.)

Peguam, Datuk V Sithambaram, yang memulakan kerjaya pada 1978 menggambarkan keberanian Karpal sebagai peguam tidak boleh ditandingi dan cintanya amat mendalam terhadap undang-undang.

"Legasinya akan terus kekal dalam arena undang-undang dan politik," katanya.

Sebagai peguam junior dalam banyak kes jenayah, katanya, Karpal mengajarnya untuk berterus terang di mahkamah.

"Ringkas dalam menyampaikan hujah di mahkamah adalah cara Karpal," kata Sithambaram.

Beliau berkata, Karpal sangat bersungguh-sungguh dalam memperjuangkan keadilan dan membawanya ke Parlimen jika melihat ada kelemahan dalam penggunaan sesuatu undang-undang di mahkamah.

Peguam kanan dan bekas hakim Mahkamah Persekutuan, Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, berkata tanggapan pertamanya terhadap Karpal ialah beliau seorang yang pakar dalam prosedur jenayah dan undang-undang bukti.

"Dalam satu kes jenayah beliau mampu meyakinkan hakim perbicaraan untuk melihat semula pengakuan yang dibuat oleh anak guamnya. Selepas penghujahan, hakim memerintahkan juri untuk membebaskan tertuduh," kata Sri Ram, merujuk kepada kes bunuh pada 1973.

Sri Ram memulakan kerjayanya sebagai peguam pada 1970 dan dilantik menjadi hakim Mahkamah Rayuan pada 1994.

Katanya, sebagai hakim, beliau suka melihat Karpal menyampaikan hujahan kerana hujahnya cepat dan isu yang dibangkitkan mudah difahami.

Beliau berkata, dalam kes terkenal The Cheng Poh, Karpal gagal di Mahkamah Persekutuan tetapi berjaya di Majlis Privi di London.

"Eksekutif terpaksa membentangkan pindaan di Parlimen kesan daripada tindakan mahkamah yang dilakukan oleh Karpal," katanya.

Sri Ram berkata, Karpal yang membangkitkan doktrin pemisahan kuasa di kalangan tiga cabang kerajaan dan Mahkamah Rayuan bersetuju dengan hujahannya.

"Bagaimanapun, Mahkamah Persekutuan tidak bersetuju tetapi kebanyakan peguam berpendapat Karpal betul dalam perkara itu," katanya.

Sri Ram, yang bersara sebagai hakim mahkamah Persekutuan pada 2010 berkata, "setiap kali sejarah common law Malaysia ditulis, nama Karpal akan kelihatan dalam huruf berwarna emas untuk sumbangan hebatnya dalam peruntukan undang-undang berkenaan".

Salim Bashir, yang memulakan kerjaya peguamnya pada 1995 berkata, Karpal adalah mentornya untuk berani dan pada masa sama rendah diri dalam menonjolkan diri di mahkamah demi kes anak guam.

"Beliau ada kemahiran untuk menggunakan semua senjata undang-undang yang ada untuk memperolehi keadilan bagi anak guamnya," kata Salim dan menambah beliau suka melihat Karpal beraksi di mahkamah ketika prosiding.

Salim berkata, pelajar undang-undang juga boleh belajar kemahiran menjadi peguam yang tidak akan diperolehi di dewan kuliah jika pernah melihat Karpal di dalam mahkamah.

Katanya, Karpal mendesak mahkamah untuk membuat keputusan yang baru kerana beliau seorang yang inovatif dan sering menguji undang-undang, terutama Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

Karpal, 73, maut dalam kemalangan jalan raya apabila kenderaan yang dinaikinya berlanggar dengan lori seberat 5 tan berhampiran Gua Tempurung di Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan, awal pagi semalam.

Karpal dalam perjalanan dari Kuala Lumpur ke Pulau Pinang untuk menghadiri perbicaraan mahkamah seorang anak guamnya.

Kesan daripada nahas yang berlaku pada kira-kira jam 1 pagi itu membunuh peguam terkenal itu dan pembantu peribadinya, Michael Cornelious, di tempat kejadian.

Anak lelaki Karpal, Ramkarpal, dan pemandu, C Selvam mengalami kecederaan. Pembantu rumah Karpal, seorang warga Indonesia turut cedera dan berada dalam keadaan kritikal dan masih dirawat di Hospital Ipoh.

Sumber: TheMalaysianInsider

Karpal’s Funeral Accorded State Honours

Posted: 17 Apr 2014 02:30 AM PDT

GEORGE TOWN: Karpal Singh's funeral this Sunday morning will be accorded the Penang state honours, announced Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng here today.

"This means the state flags would be flown half-mast until the funeral day on Sunday.
"The state flag will be accorded to cover Karpal's casket.

"Finally a public ceremony will be held in Dewan Sri Pinang for the lay public to pay their last and final respects to Karpal.

"This is the last respect being accorded to a Penang MP and a statesman by the state government," Lim told a press conference at Karpal's house in Jalan Utama here today.

He said the state executive council decided this afternoon to honour Karpal, a son of Penang, a funeral with state honours.

Also present were Karpal's sons Gobind and Jagdeep Singh Deo, and Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow.

Chow has been appointed as the coordinator to accord the state honours for Karpal's funeral.

Gobind and Jagdeep later thanked the state government for according their father, a senior parliamentarian and DAP's leader, a funeral with state honours.

They also thanked leaders of  various political parties, such as Deputy Prime Minister and Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim and PAS stalwart Mohamad Sabu, supporters and lay public for visiting and paying their last respects to their father.

Meanwhile Anwar said the loss of Karpal was irreplaceable.

Tribute tonight

The Parliamentary Opposition Leader revealed that he spoke to Karpal yesterday evening about his sodomy case appeal to the Federal Court.

Anwar said Karpal informed him that he would drop all his other work for next two days to concentrate on the appeal.

"He told me that he had 10 days to file the appeal. He told me not to worry and that he would," Anwar added.

Anwar said Karpal had always stood by the Permatang Pauh MP and his family, and committed to his struggle since 1998.

"He was passionate in his defence and never wavered from his position. He always exercised his full rights. He was an indefatigable fighter of justice," said Anwar.

DAP meanwhile announced that it had postponed all its programmes until after Karpal's funeral. However, programmes arranged by PKR and PAS would go ahead as scheduled.

Tonight's Refomasi 2.0 rally at Seberang Jaya would go ahead but Anwar indicated that it would be different than originally planned.

"We will pay our respect and tribute to Karpal. We will tell the crowd why Karpal must be remembered?" said Anwar.

Karpal Maut Dalam Nahas Dekat Kampar

Posted: 17 Apr 2014 02:00 AM PDT

Ahli parlimen Bukit Gelugor dan peguam kanan Karpal Singh maut dalam kemalangan di Kilometer 306.1 Lebuhraya Utara Selatan laluan utara dekat Kampar awal pagi ini.

Pembantu peribadi beliau,  Michael Cornelius Selvam Vellu, 39, turut maut dalam kemalangan itu yang membabitkan kenderaan serbaguna (MPV) yang dinaiki mereka dengan sebuah lori dalam perjalanan menuju utara berhampiran Gua Tempurung.

Anaknya Ram Karpal dan pemandu kereta itu dilaporkan cedera.

Gambar di kawasan kemalangan menunjukkan kenderaan yang dinaiki Karpal rosak teruk.

Anak Karpal - Gobind Singh Deo yang juga MP Puchong - memberitahu The Star bahawa bapanya meninggal dunia di tempat kejadian.

"Adik saya Ram cedera ringan tetapi kita cuba untuk menghubunginya, katanya ketika dihubungi The Star pada jam 3.30 pagi.

Seorang jurucakap polis memberitahu Malaysiakini kemalangan dipercayai berlaku apabila Toyota Alphard tersebut merempuh lori yang menukar laluan tanpa memberi isyarat.

Karpal, 74, menjadi lumpuh dan menggunakan kerusi roda selepas terbabit dalam satu kemalangan pada 2005.

Ahli politik lantang ini mendapat ijazah perundangan dari Universiti Singapura dan berkhidmat sebagai peguam sebelum bertanding kerusi Parlimen pada tahun 1978.

Perkhidmatan lama beliau sebagai MP Jelutong sebelum ini serta ucapan berapi di Dewan Rakyat menyebabkan beliau digelar 'Harimau Jelutong'.

Karpal melepaskan jawatan Pengerusi DAP baru-baru ini selepas didapati bersalah dalam kes hasutan.

Sementara itu Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak mengucapkan takziah melalui laman sosial twitter.

"Saya baru mendarat di Ankara (Turki) apabila mendapat khabar YB Karpal terbunuh dalam kemalangan jalan raya. Takziah kepada keluarga beliau," tulis twit tersebut.

Sementara itu, Bernama memetik Ketua Polis Daerah Kampar Supt Ng Kong Soon berkata Karpal dan Cornelius, 40-an, maut di tempat kejadian.
   
Selain itu, katanya, pembantu rumah Karpal Singh, seorang wanita warga Indonesia cedera parah dan mengalami pendarahan di bahagian otak sementara anak lelaki Karpal, Ramkarpal Singh, 38, dan pemandu kenderaan MPV, C Selvan, 27, yang merupakan warga India, tidak mengalami kecederaan dalam kemalangan pada pukul 1.10 pagi itu.

Menurutnya, pemandu lori Abu Mansor Mohd, 45, dari Petaling Jaya mengalami cedera ringan manakala dua penumpang kenderaan itu, Nur Azlina Ahmad, 23 dan seorang kanak-kanak perempuan, Nurieman Diana Qhaleesha Abdullah, 4, tidak cedera.
   
"Siasatan awal polis mendapati kenderaan MPV jenis Toyota Alphard berwarna putih yang membawa lima penumpang termasuk Karpal Singh, dalam perjalanan dari Kuala Lumpur ke Pulau Pinang dipercayai hilang kawalan apabila tiba di kawasan kejadian dan melanggar bahagian kanan lori yang sedang bergerak di sebelah kiri laluan itu," katanya ketika dihubungi Bernama hari ini.

Ketika kejadian itu, katanya, Karpal duduk di bahagian hadapan sebelah pemandu manakala Michael di tempat duduk belakang Karpal.
   
Beliau berkata lori lima tan yang membawa muatan simen, besi dan mozek itu dipercayai bergerak perlahan di sebelah kiri laluan ke utara itu memandangkan ia membawa muatan berat dan tempat kejadian juga merupakan kawasan laluan berbukit.

Ng berkata akibat rempuhan itu, kenderaan Toyota Alphard berkenaan mengalami rosak teruk di bahagian hadapan sebelah kiri manakala lori rosak di bahagian belakang sebelah kanan.
   
"Semakan ke atas kenderaan MPV itu mendapati, ia mempunyai 29 rekod kesalahan lalulintas iaitu pandu laju dan 15 saman masih belum dijelaskan," katanya.
   
Menurut Ng, mayat mangsa dibawa ke Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun di Ipoh untuk bedah siasat manakala pembantu rumah berkenaan menerima rawatan di hospital sama.
   
Operasi mengeluarkan kesemua mangsa turut dibantu anggota Bomba dan Penyelamat di tempat kejadian, katanya.
   
Beliau berkata kes berkenaan disiasat di bawah Seksyen 41 (1) Akta Pengangkutan Jalan 1987.

Mayat mendiang Karpal dan Michael tiba di hospital besar Ipoh pada jam 7.20 pagi.

Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang, Lim Guan Eng dan timbalannya, Mohd Rashid Hasnon, dan bekas Menteri Besar Perak, Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin turut berada di sana.

Mereka mengucapkan takziah kepada anak Karpal - Gobind dan Jagdeep. Isteri Karpal kelihatan menangis, manakala saudara mara cuba menghalang gambar diambil. Mayat dihantar untuk bedah siasat.

Gobind berkata keluarganya menjangka bedah siasat itu selesai pada jam 10.30 pagi, selepas itu mereka akan membawa mayat pulang ke rumah keluarga mereka di Pulau Pinang sebelum jam 1 tengahari.

Menurutnya, beliau dimaklumkan mengenai kemalangan itu pada jam 2.15 pagi, dan beliau serta isterinya, terus bergegas ke tempat kejadian. Gobind dan ibunya, Gurmit Kaur, sempat melihat mayat Karpal.

Upacara pengebumian ahli politik veteran itu dijangka dijalankan sama ada pada petang Sabtu atau pagi hari Ahad, katanya.

"Mendiang mempunyai keluarga dan rakan-rakan di luar negara dan kami menunggu mereka pulang untuk pengebumiannya," katanya.

"Mayat mendiang akan ditempatkan di rumah keluarga kami di Jalan Utama (Pulau Pinang )," katanya.

Gobind berkata Ram, yang mengalami lebam-lebam sedikit, berada dalam keadaan baik.

Beliau turut mengucapkan terima kasih kepada orang ramai atas sokongan mereka dan berharap mereka memberi keluarganya privasi.

Menurutnya, mereka akan memaklumkan kepada orang ramai mengenai perkembangan terkini.

Pada kira-kira jam 8.30 pagi, seorang lelaki yang dipercayai pemandu Karpal, Selvam, dilihat menghampiri jabatan forensik di hospital. Dia menangis teresak-esak tetapi beberapa orang membawanya pergi dari situ.

Difahamkan mayat mendiang Karpal akan dibakar di dewan pembakaran Sikh pada jam 11 pagi hari Ahad.

Sumber: MalaysiaKini

Anwar Ibrahim

Anwar Ibrahim


[VIDEO] CNN Talk Asia: Karpal Singh

Posted: 17 Apr 2014 01:53 AM PDT

Obama Sets Date for Visit to Tarnished Malaysia

Posted: 17 Apr 2014 12:33 AM PDT

Asia Sentinel

US President set to arrive April 27 as KL faces increasing international criticism

US President Barack Obama is expected to visit Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Malaysia this month as part of his push to increase US diplomatic, economic and security engagement with countries in the Asia-Pacific region. But despite the relative size and strategic importance of the other countries, it is his April 27 trip to Malaysia that arguably gives the president his biggest problems.

Given the events of the past few months, Obama will visit a country that has earned some of the worst press in Asia, not only for its fumbling response to the loss of its jetliner, MH370, with 239 people aboard, but to revelations of growing racial and religious intolerance, blatant attempts to silence the opposition through spurious legal action and bizarre charges by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's own newspaper that the Central Intelligence Agency kidnapped the plane to foment trouble with China, 152 of whose citizens were aboard the missing craft. The same newspaper, Utusan Malaysia, also repeated as a real possibility speculation by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad that the CIA brought down the World Trade Towers in 2001as a plot to blame Muslims for the destruction.

In recent weeks, an appeals court has reversed a lower court decision against opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, declaring him guilty of what were clearly trumped up charges of sodomy. The decision, apparently rushed forward, was designed to deny Anwar an almost certain win in a Kuala Lumpur suburban by-election that would have paved his way to becoming chief minister of the country's most populous and prosperous state and would have given him a potent rhetorical platform to challenge the government. In an equally dubious decision, Karpal Singh, chairman of the Democratic Party, the biggest in the troika of opposition parties, was declared guilty of sedition for saying a decision by the Sultan of Perak could be questioned in court.

The international press that showed up in Kuala Lumpur after the disappearance of the airliner began asking questions that exposed an authoritarian regime unaccustomed to facing independent scrutiny – questions that a kept mainstream media, all of which are owned by the political parties in power, have ignored for decades. While a vibrant opposition press exists on the Internet, the government simply ignores it or tries to neutralize its reports. Those questions include crony capitalism, gerrymandering and political repression. CNN, the major US and British newspaper s and other media assailed the government as authoritarian, corrupt and befuddled.

The feeling in Washington, however, is that the cost of cancellation to the strategic relationship between the two countries would be too high. Obama reportedly is being urged to visit a Christian church while in the country to show US commitment to human and religious rights. Advocates say the President should make at least some gesture of recognition of the fact that a 50.87 percent majority of Malaysians voted against the ruling coalition in 2013 general elections at 47.38 percent but still hold only 89 of the 222 seats in parliament because of gerrymandering. It's unsure if he will do so. There is speculation that he may just opt for a "meet and greet" and get out of town as quickly as possible to avoid international criticism for propping up a regime that is starting to assume Zimbabwean characteristics of repression and kleptocracy.

"I don’t have any problem with Obama visiting Malaysia, provided he reaches out to Malaysians on both sides of the aisle and all sectors of society, including the Christian community, whose rights are being trampled on by their government," said John Malott, a former career foreign service officer who served as ambassador to Malaysia from 1996 to 1998 and who has emerged as Malaysian government’s severest western critic. "But this has to be a visit that is based on the reality of what kind of country Malaysia really is today – and not to believe the talking points that Malaysia is still a tolerant multi-racial, multi-religious, harmonious, moderate Islamic nation, an economic success story, and a role model for others. It no longer is."

Najib visited the White House in 2011 and was given a wholehearted endorsement by the President, who said Najib has "showed great leadership, I think, not only in continuing to show great leadership not only in Malaysia's economy but on showing leadership on a wide range of multilateral issues."

The president is said to like Najib personally despite the fact that a wide range of issues have never been cleared up, going back to allegations of Najib's personal involvement in the US$1 billion purchase of French submarines that according to French prosecutors was said to have netted US$114 million in bribes and kickbacks to the United Malays National Organization. The case is still making its way through French courts.

There is also the matter of the still controversial 2006 murder by two of Najib's bodyguards of Mongolian translator and party girl Altantuya Shaariibuu, who according to a now-dead private detective had been Najib's girlfriend before she was said to have been passed on to his best friend, Abdul Razak Baginda, a key figure in the purchase of the submarines. The bodyguards were acquitted on appeal despite overwhelming evidence of their guilt, raising questions about Malaysia's legal system as well.

There have been some rude shocks. Six months ago, in the run-up to his previous failed visit to the region, the US president hailed Malaysia as an "an example of a dynamic economy” and praised its multi-ethnic, moderate Muslim-dominated society only to see just three days later a court decision ordering Christians not to use the word "Allah" when referring to God, making it the only Islamic country in the world to do so.

After that, the government ordered the confiscation of Malay-language Bibles containing the word – but only in Peninsular Malaysia. Christians using Malay-language Bibles in East Malaysia were allowed to keep them. That is because most of the Christians are tribes indigenous to Borneo that are aligned with the ruling party. In Peninsular Malaysia, they form the bulk of the opposition.

"So the issue is — how can you talk about establishing a 'strategic partnership' with such a government?" Malott asked. "Maybe that is what will have to be downplayed or even canned for this visit. To me, the idea of a declaring a strategic partnership with a government whose faults have now been revealed to the world, day after day, seems politically unwise."

Malott also questioned what strategic benefits the US can obtain from Malaysia.

"What strategic value does Malaysia have that it warrants America to hold its nose and ignore the trampling of democracy and political freedom, not to mention the corruption and cronyism that hurt American business interests there?" he asked. "And with Mahathir, the great anti-American, increasingly calling the political shots and Najib’s popularity the lowest of any Prime Minister in polling history, will a 'strategic partnership' with the US survive Najib’s departure?"

Eminent Malaysian lawyer Karpal Singh dies

Posted: 16 Apr 2014 11:24 PM PDT

The Hindu

Veteran Malaysian opposition lawmaker Karpal Singh, an eminent lawyer who had been detained without trial under security laws and battled numerous sedition charges, has died in a road accident. He was 73.

District police chief Ng Kong Soon said Mr. Singh was travelling with four others when his car collided with a truck early Thursday on a highway.

Mr. Ng was quoted by national Bernama news agency as saying Mr. Singh and his personal assistant were killed immediately and his Indonesian maid was badly injured, but his son, Ram Singh, and the driver escaped unhurt.

Gobind Singh Deo, Mr. Karpal Singh's son and also a political leader, posted a message on Facebook and Twitter announcing his father's death.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia has lost an "indefatigable fighter for justice."

Karpal Singh, always in the pursuit of justice

Posted: 16 Apr 2014 09:07 PM PDT

TMI

Karpal Singh – the prominent lawyer, lawmaker and DAP leader – died early this morning in a road accident while on the way to Penang, doing what he does best: going to court for a client. He was 73.

His reputation as a lawyer and politician had earned him the nickname the “Tiger of Jelutong” from the time he started legal practice in 1970 – which was also the year he joined the Democratic Action Party (DAP).

When he died early today, Karpal had just let go of the DAP chairmanship as he battled a sedition conviction that risked his four decades of legal and political career.

But the controversial decision was nothing to Karpal. He had been thrown out of parliament, put in detention during Ops Lalang in 1987 and had faced previous sedition charges.

“Eliminating me from the political terrain will not be the end of Karpal Singh. It will in fact lead to the rise of many Karpal Singhs!” said Karpal, who was Amnesty International’s “prisoner of conscience” for his detention without trial.

His legal and political colleagues remember him as a fearless and smart lawyer and politician, but to the countless ordinary people in his Penang constituency and legal office in Jalan Pudu Lama, Kuala Lumpur – he was a friend.

This was the other side of Karpal Singh apart from his legendary roles as a DAP politician and remarkable lawyer – he was a gentle-mannered man who was always ready to help the ordinary folk he came across in his daily life.

They knew Karpal as a humble man with a ready smile, who was always ready to stop and listen, no matter how small you were. No question was too trivial or repetitive for him to answer, no hello was too unimportant to stop for.

His tragic death in a road accident today meant that he “died in his saddle”, a term he had used upon turning 70 when he said: “I’ve always said that a lawyer should die in a saddle. I think it equally applies to being a politician.”

An earlier road accident in 2005 put him in a wheelchair while this morning’s road accident occurred near Gua Tempurung when the veteran lawyer was on his way up north to Penang in his white Alphard for a court case.

Anyone who knew Karpal would easily attest to how he was probably the busiest 73-year-old around, often shuttling between parliament and court during the week, and on weekends, travelling up north, mostly to visit his constituency or for a court case.

Nothing stopped Karpal, who at 73 was still shuttling between parliament and court or travelling north to visit his constituency. – The Malaysian Insider pic, April 17, 2014.

Nothing stopped Karpal, who at 73 was still shuttling between parliament and court or travelling north to visit his constituency. – The Malaysian Insider pic, April 17, 2014.Nothing would stop him in court or politics. Not even the latest sedition conviction where he was alleged to have said that the removal of Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin as menteri besar of Perak by Perak ruler, Sultan Azlan Shah, could be questioned in a court of law.

Karpal’s defence was that he had offered a legal opinion and not a threat to the ruler, who was once the Lord President of the Supreme Court. Charged for the offence in 2009, Karpal was acquitted by the High Court without his defence called in the first round.

However, the prosecution appealed against the decision and succeeded at the Court of Appeal, and even pressed for a deterrent sentence against the wheelchair-bound politician.

He was handed down a RM4,000 fine, which would have disqualified him as an MP if he did not succeed in an appeal which has not been heard.

Karpal joined DAP in 1970 and was first elected as a Kedah state assemblyman in 1974 before becoming MP for Jelutong in 1978, a seat he held until he lost in 1999.

He returned to parliament in the 2004 general election as the Bukit Gelugor MP, and although the motor accident in 2005 confined Karpal to a wheelchair, it did nothing to curb his spirit or vigour.

Karpal’s legal career started when he was admitted to the Penang Bar in 1969 after reading law at the National University of Singapore.

He was one of Malaysia’s most prominent lawyers, and had taken up numerous high-profile cases, including drug trafficking charges against foreign nationals such as Australian Kevin Barlow, and the sodomy accusations against former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He was a staunch opponent of the death penalty, especially for drug trafficking offences.

He was detained in the Ops Lalang government crackdown in October 1987 under the Internal Security Act which allows for detention without trial, along with DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and 104 others. He was released in 1989.

Karpal was also known to be opposed to turning Malaysia into an Islamic state, often citing the Federal Constitution that provides for a secular nation.

“I'm doing it for the country. At the end that's what it is for,” he had told The Malaysian Insider in an interview before his 70th birthday.

He had also said then that “one can’t always win,but should not stop trying either”.

Clearly, Karpal never stopped. He was and will always be a Malaysian hero.

He will be missed, never forgotten. He will always be loved, treasured and respected for decades to come.

But that cannot be said about the government which until the last moment was trying to put him behind bars for speaking the truth and speaking lucidly about something that mattered dearly to him: the law.

He leaves behind wife Gurmit Kaur, daughter Sangeet, sons Jagdeep, Gobind, Ramkarpal and Mankarpal, and a host of grandchildren. And Malaysians.

Karpal Singh

Posted: 16 Apr 2014 08:24 PM PDT

"He gave his honours to the world again,
His blessed part to heaven, and…henceforth, will now sleep in peace.”

At almost 3 this morning I awoke to the shocking news of the death of one of the nation's most illustrious heroes – YB Karpal Singh. It came like a lightning bolt to me because just last evening, I had had a lengthy chat with him.

After getting hold of myself, I then twittered a short condolence expressing deep sorrow and devastation over the loss of "our indefatigable fighter for justice". Once again, Azizah and family offer our deepest condolences to Gurmit Kaur, Gobind, Ram and the rest of the family. May you all remain strong in this great hour of tribulation.

Indeed, words cannot express enough my profound sadness of the passing away of my brother-in-arms for freedom and democracy, an inspiring symbol for the struggle against oppression and injustice and a man of unimpeachable moral integrity.

The nation has lost one of her most dedicated servants. The people have lost  a selfless , courageous and noble defender of their fundamental liberties. The legal fraternity has lost one of it’s sharpest minds and I have lost a true friend, kind in words, noble in deed.

"Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once."

And so it was with our hero Karpal Singh for there is none more valiant in life than this great mortal whose body may have perished but his spirit shall live on with us.

Anwar Ibrahim

17th April, 2014

Anak Muda Kampung Nak Senang

Anak Muda Kampung Nak Senang


Kerajaan N.Sembilan nak kurang jumlah rumah untuk rakyat

Posted: 17 Apr 2014 02:38 AM PDT




Dikala rakyat semakin perit menghadapi kos sara hidup yang semakin tinggi, harga rumah yang amat mahal, kerajaan Negeri Sembilan hendak kurangkan jumlah Perumahan Rakyat kepada 3,000 sahaja. Jika bimbang kesesakan kenapa tidak buat di kawasan yang lebih luas di pinggir bandar, di Sg Gadut, di Jalan Labu, di Jalan Pantai, demi rakyat?

Kerajaan NS mohon kurang jumlah rumah PR1MA
April, 2014

SEREMBAN:   Kerajaan Negeri Sembilan memohon kepada Perbadanan Projek Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia (PR1MA);  agar dapat mengurangkan jumlah unit kediaman daripada 5, 000 unit kepada 3, 000 unit rumah kediaman PR1MA yang bakal dibina di Seremban Sentral.

"Jumlah asal kediaman PR1MA ini 5,000 unit. Kita minta ianya dikurangkan kepada 3,000 unit agar bersesuaian dengan keluasan tapak perumahan tersebut.

"Kita memohon agar perancangan jumlah unit kediaman itu tidak banyak jika dibandingkan dengan keluasan tapak perumahan itu yang kecil.

"Perkara ini harus diteliti kerana kita tidak mahu projek PR1MA ini apabila siap dibina, ianya menjadi satu kawasan yang amat sesak apabila ditambah dengan faktor keadan trafik di Seremban.

Pada Februari tahun lepas Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak melancarkan projek PR1MA Seremban Sentral yang terletak di kawasan belakang stesen KTM Komuter Seremban, dengan keluasan lebih kurang 73 ekar.

- Free Malaysia Today

Pemimpin cium tangan rakyat

Posted: 16 Apr 2014 05:24 PM PDT




MASYAALLAH, Perdana Menteri Palestin, Ismail Haniyeh mencium tangan seorang buruh kasar di Gaza. Ismail berkata tangan tersebut dikasihi ALLAH dan RasulNya. Rakyat Palestin amat tersentuh dan menyayangi Perdana Menteri mereka yang amat merendah diri semata-mata mengharapkan keredhaan ALLAH dan mendoakan agar Perdana Menteri mereka dinaikkan darjat.