Karpal makes last journey home to Penang

Family members of the late Karpal Singh carry his casket outside the mortuary at Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun, Perak, today. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, April 17, 2014.Amid tears of sorrow, a coffin bearing Karpal Singh's remains was loaded onto a van for his final journey back to Penang today.

The 73-year-old, popularly known as the "Tiger of Jelutong", died early this morning after the Toyota Alphard he was in collided with a five-tonne Mitsubishi Canter.

Karpal's remains had been brought to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh at 7.25am this morning for an autopsy.

Before the casket was taken out of the morgue, Karpal's wife and other family members were allowed in to view his remains.

Besides the throng of photographers and reporters, there were many mourners who waited outside the mortuary to pay their last respects.

As the casket was carried towards the van, many people strained to touch Karpal's casket.

The van departed from the Ipoh Hospital at 1.30pm accompanied by three police outriders and other vehicles bearing his family.

The police outriders escorted the van until the toll plaza before returning to Ipoh.

It is understood that the funeral is expected to be held on Sunday at 11am so that relatives abroad have sufficient time to return to Malaysia to pay their respects.

Karpal and his aide, Michael Cornelius Selvam Velly, 39, were killed in the accident which occurred about 1.10am near Gua Tempurung in Perak.

Police said they both died at the scene.

Karpal's son, Ramkarpal, and their driver were slightly injured but their maid is said to be in critical condition.

Police however said that the lorry driver, who was not injured in the accident, had traces of cannabis in his urine sample.

Perak police chief Datuk Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani had told The Malaysian Insider that the initial urine screening of the 45-year-old driver revealed traces of cannabis.

"We have sent the urine sample to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh for confirmation," Acryl said.

The Malaysian Insider also learnt that initial checks revealed that Karpal's driver is believed to have 15 outstanding traffic summonses for speeding.

Checks on the Toyota Alphard revealed that a total of 29 traffic summonses had been issued, of which 15 had not been settled.

Acryl said this was the result of initial checks and investigations which were conducted under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

There has been an outpouring of tribute and condolences from leaders from both sides of the political divide, the legal fraternity and netizens.

Many described Karpal's passing as a great loss and hailed him as a champion of the people who had constantly pursued justice.

The DAP has instructed all its branches to fly the party flag at half-mast as a mark of respect for the party's former chairman.