Following a directive from the Education Ministry, the SJK (C) Chung Kwo school hall will not be the venue for Karpal Singh’s memorial as earlier announced.

As a result, DAP was forced to change the event venue to the KL Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.

In a statement today, DAP informed that the government denied permission for DAP to use the school hall premises for its event despite having paid the deposit earlier. The reason given was that the memorial was deemed a “political activity”.

Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai said that DAP received a call at 9am today from the school’s headmaster informing of the government’s directive. According to the Cheras MP, the hall was chosen for its capacity to accommodate 5000 people, almost double the amount that the new venue is capable of housing.

When asked about the motive of the government’s ban, he said, “BN is still terrified of Saudara Karpal.”

Also present at the press conference at the DAP Headquarters was Seremban MP Anthony Loke who said that the school hall was not funded by the government but by the people.

“The government has no authority over the hall,” he said, adding that previous DAP events had been held in the school hall with no objections from any party.

The memorial will be from 7.30pm to 11pm on 24 April, tomorrow.

The list of speakers include Puchong MP Gobind Singh, Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng, Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim,  Kuala Kedah MP Mat Sabu, Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai, National Laureate Pak Samad, DAP Party Life Advisor Dr Chen Man Hin, Human Rights Lawyer Malik Imtiaz, Ex Bersih Chair Ambiga Sreenevasan and Special Adviser of the United Nations Secretary General for Timor Leste Dr Noeleen Heyzer. -The Rocket