Speech by Kerk Kim Hock, former DAP Secretary General at Memorial Service for Karpal held on April 30, 2014 at DAP Melaka People’s Hall.

The French poet Paul Valery said “A great man is one who leaves others at a loss after he is gone”. 

Karpal’s sudden death certainly left many people at a loss. The massive outpouring of grief was really astounding.

This is a testament that he was a great man and a true hero of the people.

I had the privilege of knowing Karpal personally after I became Kit Siang’s political secretary in 1986. Karpal was then already one of the most respected, admired and inspiring leaders of the Party.

Karpal always had a nice smile on his face and that mischievous twinkle in his eyes. But he also had this image of a real tough and aggressive person.

My wife had joined DAP when I was still studying at Monash University. She confessed to me that she was always awed by Karpal‘s huge image and that she did not really know how to talk to him initially when he visited me at Damansara Specialist Hospital in 2002 when I underwent surgery for my rectal cancer.

Karpal’s sense of humour

People who had the chance to know Karpal would know that he was actually a person with a good sense of humour. 

I remember that when I went to visit him at KL General Hospital in 2005 and told him to ask for stronger dosage of pain killer from the doctor if necessary; he laughed and said to me “What pain killer, Kerk? A few glasses of whisky will be better”. And that came with his deep chuckles.

I was elected the DAP secretary general in 1999 and had held the post till my retirement in 2004. Karpal was then serving as the deputy national chairman while Kit Siang was the chairman. Kit Siang has always been regarded as the best political brain in the Party. Karpal and I respected and admired his political wisdom.

To ensure unity among the top leadership, we would work as far as possible on the basis that there should be consensus among top leaders when decisions on major issues were required.

In 2001, the question of pulling out of the Barisan Alternatif (BA) arrangement was extensively discussed in the Party. While we all took the same position that the unresolved Islamic state issue would make it untenable for DAP to be a continued partner in BA, we differed on the question of timing. Karpal and I were actually quite frustrated that Kit Siang could not agree with us as soon as we wished on the timing of pulling out.

So one day, Karpal came up with his typical sense of humour. He jokingly said to me “Kerk, before the next CEC meeting starts, can we kidnap Kit Siang, tie him to a tree to prevent his attendance so that we can decide on the issue of pulling out of BA?”

That’s Karpal Singh. in pain and in frustration, he would exhibit his sense of humour.

For the record, DAP pulled out of BA on September 22, 2001.

Karpal the brilliant lawyer

Karpal was undoubtedly a powerful parliamentarian and a brilliant lawyer.

I once had the opportunity of observing Karpal in Court action, defending a few Melaka DAP members who were prosecuted for illegal assembly during the 1984 Save Bukit China Campaign.

It was shocking — and a pleasure! — to see how he “demolished” high ranking police officers who took the witness stand. I could not believe that he was actually questioning, lecturing and reprimanding the officers like little boys.

Then at the teh tarik session during court recess, he happily told me and those around his tactic of distracting his opponents in court. He said he would purposely pause for a while, played with his bangle, and then suddenly threw a sharp question when everyone’s attention was focused on his bangle.

When I was the assemblyman for Durian Daun from1986 to 1990, my constituents residing at Jalan Bendahara Nine Storey flats faced eviction order from the Local Council. The residents wanted a good lawyer to represent them but were worried about the cost. I knew they wanted Karpal. so Guan Eng who was then the Kota Melaka MP approached Karpal. Without hesitation, Karpal offered his pro bono service .He successfully defended the residents against the eviction after a long legal battle.

That’s Karpal Singh, the brilliant lawyer and humanitarian.

Karpal truly loved Kit Siang

Karpal often said that party leaders and members must respect the veterans and remember their sacrifices. It is open knowledge in the party that Dr Chen Man Hin and Kit Siang are the two persons he respected most.

Karpal told me more than once that Kit Siang had sacrificed so much for the Party and the people. He actually whacked a comrade aggressively and mercilessly at one internal meeting over what he saw as unfair, irresponsible public attacks on Kit Siang. When I met the DAP Secretary General Guan Eng in Penang on April 19, he told me that Karpal had always reminded him to never forget what Kit Siang has done for the Party.

This shows that Karpal advocated and practiced gratitude. And he truly loved Kit Siang like his own brother.

Karpal has left behind greatness

I was detained for 60 days during the infamous 1987 Operasi Lallang.  After my release, for 18 months I would travel to Kamunting Detention Camp every week as I was helping to drive Kit Siang’s family to visit him and Guan Eng.

I was not allowed into the Camp, so I had to wait outside the Camp. That was where I used to meet families of the detainees, including Karpal’s elder brother Santokh. It was always so heart wrenching each time when I would see the families coming out of the Camp in tears after their visits.

I can’t recall having met Gobind outside the Camp though I think I met his mother once or twice. It was quite many years later that I read in a media interview how Gobind had made his trips to visit his father. Many times in 1988, Gobind would travel alone by train from Kuala Lumpur to Taiping. The train would reach Taiping station at 3am and as his friend who worked as a security guard could only pick him up at 5am. Gobind would sleep on the stone bench at the railway station while waiting to be picked up. And due to his “courier “role during Karpal’s detention period, Gobind lost 3 months of school.

It really pained me to read his interview. Gobind was only 15 then and he had to go through all these. While we must say thank you to Karpal for his sacrifices, we must also say a big thank you to his family for the pains and sufferings they had to endure.

When I and my wife went to pay last respects to Karpal at his house, I had written these lines in the condolence book :

“Sdr Karpal,

A Lion of a man now rests in peace,

Thank you for the greatness you left behind,

You will remain a legend in Malaysia, in politics and law. ”

Yes, indeed Karpal has left behind much greatness.  He has also left behind Gobind Singh who has become a hero in his own right.

I have seen Gobind in court action. I have seen him perform in Parliament. I must say he is real good and most important of all; he is always so humble, just like his father was.

I believe — and I am confident — Gobind is DAP chairman material and will one day become the DAP’s national chairman who will give the Party immense sense of pride, just like his father did.