Karpal and I never quarrelled even though we belonged to different parties, says Ling

Wreaths surrounding Karpal Singh’s portrait in his house in Jalan Utama, Penang. A former minister, Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, today shared stories about Karpal’s days as a student in Singapore, calling him a not very serious student but a good lawyer - The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, April 18, 2014– April 18, 2014.Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh and former transport minister Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik never quarrelled or fought, despite being in different parties with competing ideas about politics.

This was because the former MCA chairman and the late DAP stalwart had forged a friendship at university, which Dr Ling said stood the tests that politics threw at them.

Both went to University of Malaya in Singapore in 1961 and stayed at the same Dundarn Road hostel in Bukit Timah.

It helped that both were in the students’ union. Dr Ling was president while Karpal was a committee member.

Karpal and Dr Ling both entered politics back home, standing for the general election in 1974 for their first time, and each later went on to be the heads of their respective political parties, DAP and MCA.

 Dr Ling said the friendship forged during their varsity days kept them as friends.

"Have you heard us scolding each other? He scolded MCA, not Ling Liong Sik.

"I scolded DAP, not Karpal Singh," he told reporters after paying his respects to Karpal at his home in Penang this evening.

Dr Ling, 70, talked about his days in University of Malaya with Karpal.

"He was a very cheeky student. He did not pass exams very often," Dr Ling said.

Karpal proved that one need not be a very serious student to be a good lawyer because he turned out to be one of the best lawyers in the country.

He said Karpal was, however, very diligent, very hardworking and tenacious.

"So do not worry if your children are naughty. They can still become good lawyers.

"I will miss Karpal," he said.

Dr Ling, who was previously Bagan MP in Penang, was also asked if he ever encountered Karpal when he served as a doctor at Penang Hospital years ago.

"(I made) no mistakes," he quipped, meaning he was never taken to court for malpractice.

Karpal was killed in an accident on the North-South Expressway near Kampar, Perak, about 1am yesterday.

Karpal was on his way back to Penang from Kuala Lumpur for a murder trial at the Penang High Court when his car collided with a lorry.

He died at the scene. His aide, Michael Cornelius Selvam Vellu, also died while Karpal's son Ramkarpal and driver survived.

Health Minister and MIC deputy president Datuk Seri S. Subramaniam said the nation would remember Karpal as a great leader who stood by his principles.

He said both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat valued his contributions.

"We need people who can inform the government of what is right and wrong, despite the obstacles.

"He has fulfilled such a role, standing by his views, even risking his own welfare at times," he said.