DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke has revealed that his party will set up a Karpal Singh scholarship with an initial annual grant of RM100,000.
He placed Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan, a lawyer, in charge of the effort.
“To honour saudara Karpal, I think we should not just be doing a memorial event or a talk tonight.
“Karpal was someone who fought for justice, someone who always fought for the ordinary folk. He contributed to society and inspired many people to join the struggle.
“I would like to announce that DAP will set up a Karpal Singh scholarship to support the studies of needy students pursuing law in particular,” Loke (above) said.
He was speaking at a memorial event for Karpal’s 10th death anniversary.
Lauded as one of the most prominent criminal lawyers in the country, Karpal was known for his fearlessness and integrity, as well as his commitment to building a multiracial and secular Malaysia.
In 2005, Karpal sustained serious injuries after being hit by a vehicle and became wheelchair-bound. He died on April 17, 2014, after another road accident.
Karpal was first elected to office in 1974 as Alor Setar Bandar assemblyperson before moving to Penang, where he served as MP for Jelutong (1978-1999) and Bukit Gelugor (2004-2014).
Three of Karpal’s sons also hold elected office.
Scholarship details coming
More information about the Karpal scholarship will be released later.
Loke said there are conditions attached, however, applicants need not be DAP members.
“We will work out a mechanism and detailed announcements will be made later in terms of application criteria, how the money will be disbursed, the scholarship amount, and so on,” he added.
The Seremban MP believed the scholarship would be the best way to honour Karpal’s legacy and hoped it would inspire more people to join the legal industry, especially in the public sector.
“He was a famous lawyer and we want to inspire more lawyers like him,” Loke said.
Former attorney-general Tommy Thomas, who was at the event, urged the government to give Karpal the appropriate historical recognition he deserves before historical revision occurs.
He also joked that Karpal often engineered getting thrown out of Parliament so that he could attend court instead.
Some 300 people attended the memorial which saw speeches from Loke, Thomas, former Court of Appeal judge Hishamudin Yunus, DAP chairperson Lim Guan Eng, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang, human rights lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, and Karpal’s son Gobind Singh Deo.
The speakers shared memories of Karpal about his time in Parliament, and his court cases.
Also present were other members of his family including his third son Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh and DAP members Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran, Bentong MP Young Syefura Othman, and Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Rajiv Rishyakaran.
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