Karpal Singh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yang Berbahagia Dato' Seri Utama
Karpal Singh
DUPN
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ਕਰਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ
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Karpal in Kuching in 2011.
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| 3rd National Chairman of the Democratic Action Party | |
| In office 4 September 2004 – 29 March 2014 |
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| Secretary-General | Lim Guan Eng |
| Preceded by | Lim Kit Siang |
| Succeeded by | Tan Kok Wai |
| Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Bukit Gelugor |
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| In office 21 March 2004 – 17 April 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Ramkarpal Singh |
| Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Jelutong |
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| In office 31 July 1978 – 29 November 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Rasiah Rajasingam |
| Succeeded by | Lee Kah Choon |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Karpal Singh s/o Ram Singh Deo
28 June 1940 George Town, Penang, Straits Settlements (now Malaysia) |
| Died | 17 April 2014 (aged 73) Gua Tempurung, Perak, Malaysia |
| Political party | Democratic Action Party (1970–2014) |
| Spouse | Gurmit Kaur (1970–2014, his death) |
| Children | Jagdeep Singh Deo Gobind Singh Deo Ramkarpal Singh Sangeet Kaur Deo Mankarpal Singh |
| Parents | Ram Singh Deo (father) Kartar Kaur (mother) |
| Residences | Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur |
| Alma mater | National University of Singapore |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Other name | Tiger of Jelutong |
| Ethnicity | Punjabi |
| Education | St. Xavier's Institution, George Town, Penang |
Dato' Seri Utama Karpal Singh (28 June 1940 – 17 April 2014) was an important Indian Malaysian politician and lawyer. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Bukit Gelugor in Penang from 2004 to 2014. He also led the Democratic Action Party (DAP) as its National Chairman.
Karpal Singh was born in Penang to Sikh parents from Punjab, India. He studied law at the National University of Singapore. He became one of Malaysia's most famous lawyers. He often took on big cases and was known for fighting against the death penalty.
Karpal Singh was a strong voice in both the courtroom and Parliament. He was sometimes suspended from Parliament. He also faced legal challenges and was even held under Malaysia's internal security law. Because of his strong beliefs and his work as a lawyer and politician, people called him "the Tiger of Jelutong".
His political journey began in 1970 when he joined the DAP. He first won a seat in the Kedah State Legislative Assembly in 1974. In 1978, he was elected to Parliament for Jelutong, Penang. He held this seat for over 20 years. After losing his seat in 1999, he returned to Parliament in 2004. In 2005, a car accident left him needing a wheelchair. Despite this, he continued his work until he died in another car accident in 2014.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Karpal Singh was born in Georgetown, Penang. His father, Ram Singh Deo, worked as a watchman and herdsman. His mother was Kartar Kaur.
He went to school at St. Xavier's Institution. Later, he earned his law degree from the National University of Singapore. While there, he was the president of the student union. He even faced issues for protesting university rules. Karpal Singh admitted he took seven years to finish his degree because he was "playful." He only passed his final exams when his dean made him sit at the front of the class.
Legal Career and Justice
Karpal Singh became a lawyer in Penang in 1969. He started his own law firm the next year. He was very good at handling court cases. He was a pioneer in cases that protected people's freedom, like habeas corpus cases. He was also a strong opponent of the death penalty.
People admired him for "defending the little man." They called him "a friend to the oppressed." A law professor, Shad Saleem Faruqi, praised Karpal's legal team for their smart ideas. These ideas helped people with very difficult cases.
Fighting the Death Penalty
Karpal Singh was known as a leading voice against the death penalty in Malaysia.
In 1977, he successfully convinced the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Malaysia's King) to pardon a 14-year-old boy. The boy had been sentenced to death for having a firearm. Karpal Singh argued that executing the boy would cause big problems.
Political Journey
Starting in Politics
Karpal Singh joined the Democratic Action Party (DAP) in 1970. He chose the DAP because it supported all races after the 1969 race riots.
He first won a seat in the Kedah State Legislative Assembly in 1974. This made him the first DAP member to win a seat in Kedah. In the 1978 elections, Karpal won the Jelutong parliamentary seat. He also won the Bukit Gelugor state seat. He kept the Jelutong seat for over two decades.
Returning to Parliament
In the 1999 election, Karpal Singh lost his Jelutong seat. However, he returned to Parliament in the 2004 general election. He won the new Bukit Gelugor seat. On September 4, 2004, he became the National Chairman of the DAP.
He was suspended from Parliament for six months in 2004. This happened after he claimed that MPs had to raise their right hand when taking their oath. He refused to apologize for his statement.
Big Wins and Challenges
Karpal Singh won his seat again in the 2008 election with many more votes. This election was a big moment for the opposition parties. They stopped the ruling coalition from getting a two-thirds majority in Parliament for the first time.
In 2010, he was suspended from Parliament for ten days for calling the speaker a "dictator." Later that year, he was suspended for six months with other opposition MPs. This was for sharing a report before it was officially presented to Parliament.
Karpal Singh's Beliefs
Karpal Singh was inspired by leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and John F. Kennedy. The 1969 race riots made him believe that Malaysia needed to be a multiracial country. He praised Malaysia's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, for working towards unity among different races.
Karpal Singh strongly believed that Malaysia should be a secular nation. This means that the government should not be based on one religion. He argued that the Malaysian constitution supported this idea, even though Islam is the official religion. He famously said "an Islamic state over my dead body" during a debate on this topic.
His Reputation
Karpal Singh was a well-known figure. He was nicknamed "the Tiger of Jelutong" by his supporters. This was because he served five terms as the MP for Jelutong. He once said he got the name after telling another politician, "he could be the lion, and I could be the tiger, because there are no lions in Malaysia!"
Detentions and Legal Fights
In October 1987, Karpal Singh and other opposition politicians were held without trial. This was under the Internal Security Act. They were accused of causing "racial tension." Karpal Singh was released for a few hours in March 1988 but was quickly rearrested. He remained in prison until January 1989. Amnesty International called him a prisoner of conscience, meaning someone imprisoned for their beliefs.
He also faced legal challenges for his strong opinions. In 2000, he was charged with making statements that could cause unrest during a court case. This charge was dropped in 2002. He faced similar charges again in 2009 for comments he made about a state ruler. After a long legal battle, he was finally cleared of these charges in 2019, after his death.
Personal Life
Family Life
Karpal Singh married Gurmit Kaur in July 1970. They had five children and eleven grandchildren. Many of his children followed in his footsteps. His eldest son, Jagdeep, is a state assemblyman. His second son, Gobind, became a Member of Parliament and a minister. His third son, Ramkarpal, took over his father's seat as MP for Bukit Gelugor after his death. His daughter, Sangeet Kaur, works in his law firm.
Gurmit Kaur shared that Karpal's time in detention was very hard for her. She had to be strong for their young children. His accident and disability also deeply affected her. Karpal and Gurmit lived in Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur, from 1994 until his passing.
Accident and Health
On January 28, 2005, Karpal Singh was in a car accident. This accident left him needing a wheelchair. He had serious injuries to his back and problems with his right arm. Despite this, he continued his legal and political work. His seat in Parliament was even moved to make space for his wheelchair.
His Passing
Karpal Singh died in another car crash on April 17, 2014. The accident happened on the North–South Expressway E1 in Perak.
His funeral was held on April 20, 2014, in Penang. It was a big event with full state honors. Many people, including the Prime Minister, attended to pay their respects. His body was cremated at the Batu Gantong Crematorium in George Town, Penang.
Memorials and Awards
Two days after his death, on April 19, 2014, a road in Penang was renamed Karpal Singh Drive in his honor. A book about his life, The Full Biography: Karpal Singh, Tiger of Jelutong, was published in 2014. Karpal Singh also received the Glory of India Award of Excellence in 2011.
Honours
Penang :
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of State (DUPN) – Dato' Seri Utama (2020–posthumously)
Images for kids
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Karpal Singh (seated on the left) holding a press conference.
See also
In Spanish: Karpal Singh para niños
