DEWAN DISPATCHES: Karpal Singh is King of the 'Damn'

By : Azmi Anshar

DEWAN RAKYAT, Feb 26, 2009:

CAN anyone recall the last time the damn word “celaka” was uttered torrentially in the House during a full-blown debate, hurled in the august hall like the worst acid rain beating down on an unsuspecting parched earth? Thank Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) for having the brass and the crass to wax lyrical on such a taboo word and for reminding us that “celaka” can now be applied as part of a viable political lexicon.

That Karpal was possessed to disgorge the word in such unconstrained panache is understandable: he had been on the receiving end of a vile, violent threat to his life. Two bullets sent to anonymously to him would have triggered a maddening reaction from anyone but for the Tiger of Jelutong, it was an extreme warning against his earnestness to file for legal action against the Sultan of Perak for controversially instructing Nizar Jamaluddin to vacate the Perak Menteri Besar’s post and appointing Dr Zambry Kadir, thus reinstating the toppled BN State Government.

That and the temerity of Umno Youth members to demonstrate in the proximity of his Penang law firm and home, and the deluge of police reports lodged against him for his allegedly “treasonous” insouciance, treason being the operative word pounded unrestrainedly by his enemies.

It was as if Karpal had deliberately set himself up as a sitting duck, an easy to sight moving target that even the most insignificant Barisan Nasional politician can aim and fire at will, and still hit the target. But the difference between Karpal and these political pass-by shooters is that he had never shorn his ageless Teflon body armour that casually deflects bombs, bullets, arrows, knives and the occasional stabs in the back.

Like all seasoned, been there, done that politicians, and that includes his compatriot Lim Kit Siang, his nemesis Dr Mahathir Mohamad, his one-time nemesis-turned-compatriot-turned dubious nemesis Anwar Ibrahim, controversy is a golden badge of honour worn with defiance, aggression and a measure of theatrics to create a wow factor. Karpal will be the first to admit this, seeing that he practically wrote the book on how to play up a glorious scene in Parliament, lap it up and earn Brownie points over the other side.
Give Karpal an inch and he will improvise: the lump is cultivated into a clump and before you know it, the inch swells into a monumental issue, chewable, biteable and serviceable to any political issues of the moment. The incredible aspect of Karpal’s extemporised design is that it steamrolls ruthlessly over friend and foe alike, as demonstrated by his flabbergasting rant against Anwar, Kit and Lim Guan Eng, whom he emphatically blamed for the collapse of the PR Perak Government.

Debating the Royal Address while garrisoning accusations that he committed treason, Karpal was in an impossibly uncompromising disposition, taking on detractors like a Jet Li character “kungfuing” his way out of a pack of snarling attackers. Inside the House, Karpal’s an old hand in verbal hand-to-hand combat, seeing it needed a posse of BN MPs to pounce on his querulous charge that an Umno Youth member was responsible for sending the live bullets to him.

"Where did the celaka (damn) Pemuda Umno fellow get the bullets?" he bellowed as Puad Zakarshi (BN-Batu Pahat), Ismail Mohamed Said (BN-Kuala Krau) and Abdul Rahman Dahlan (BN-Kota Belud) leapt from their seats to demand an instant retraction, which Karpal sidestepped momentarily by cloyingly stating that he was “not accusing anyone in particular.”

By this time Karpal had the a sizeable number of BN MPs lapping up on his stage play as more demanded that he retract the damn word. "It is unparliamentary language. He should retract it," insisted Rahman, whose riposte was justified, being the Umno Youth secretary that at that point of time had to defend the wing’s honour.

By this time, Deputy Speaker Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar had enough of Karpal’s theatrics, first appealing to the statesman in Karpal not to spew the word again but when that wasn’t effective, threw the full weight of the chair by ordering Karpal, which the MP agreed though not without a stinging parting salvo. "Okay, okay I will retract, but that does not change anything about Umno Youth."

Before that moment of unhinging came to pass, Karpal threw tempting morsels of political double-speak on his radioactive remarks that Anwar was unfit to lead Pakatan Rakyat and should step down. "I don't have any misunderstanding with him,” was Karpal’s whimsical overture. “I accept him as a leader of Pakatan.”

That won’t do, the chorus of BN backbenchers counterstroked and plangently called on Karpal to clarify his “misleading” apologia, to which he must have smiled enigmatically as a quick response but a second later, he returned to character in his huff and gruff intonation. “That is none of your business," he dismissed the pack.

Karpal’s theatrics would have the usual repercussion - indignant protests, demands for his head to roll and so forth - but never physical violence. It changed today after the DAP chairman was confronted by a mob Selangor Umno Youth members at the Parliament tower block then degenerated into a shouting match and culminated in a scuffle with the MP for Segambut Lim Lip Eng having his shirt tugged.

As soon as Karpal arrived for the afternoon session, the Umno Youth mob started heckling him over his “damn” reference to the wing. Karpal's aide immediately summoned help and several DAP members turn up and the potential for a really ugly incident was forthcoming.

Parliament security officers quickly summoned police help and Karpal was safely wheeled under heavy escort to the lobby. BN Backbenchers chief Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing quickly condemned the marauders and complained of the slack security. "This is not the way. In politics there are bound to be people who provoke. We have to accept that this part and parcel of politics," he said in Karpal’s defence.

But the attack gave Karpal even more fodder to play with: inside the House later, Karpal and several DAP members questioned how the pre-meditated way the mob confronted Karpal, beseeching Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia to act agai8nst the perpetrators. "I am disabled but not intimidated by this,” Karpal declared in his usual bravado but he being him, Karpal still made a meal out of the torrid incident. “The police were there and they just watched,” he charged.

Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin, while regretting the incident and promising to investigate, challenged Karpal to back his allegation with proof in 24 hours or be considered a liar. Mukhriz Mahathir, Khairy’s rival for the Umno Youth chief’s post in next month’s party elections, proposed that Karpal be charged with sedition for questioning the sultan besides chiding him for stating that “Singh is King”. "He does not respect our rulers," Mukhriz charged in a statement.

Karpal can be a tacky one at playing delightful mind games with this crowd, MPs and Umno Youth mob. That Anwar apologia was a 180-degree swing from his angry outburst denouncing the Opposition Leader to a pulp, done in the full light of media scrutiny. Is this his way of playing the paradoxical game?

If one is to consider the deception technique of throwing wolves off the scent, Karpal’s sudden vindication of Anwar, the ‘damn’ utterance and the pointed accusation that an Umno Youth member was the anonymous bullets’ sender may be the flimflammery needed to deflect the marauders as he buys time to plan and execute the legal action against Sultan Azlan Shah. Or maybe that too is another of his famed flimflammery?

Karpal plays Zaki bribery tape, calls for resignation

By Lee Wei Lian

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 18 — DAP’s member of parliament for Gelugor, Karpal Singh today played an audio recording that he claims to be of Chief Justice Tan Sri Zaki Azmi admitting he had engaged in bribery.

The recording is claimed to have been made when Zaki was in Kuching last November. Karpal had alluded to the audio recording since November last year and finally played the tape for reporters in the lobby of the parliament building today.

According to a report in the New Straits Times (NST) that appeared on November 8 2008, Zaki was reported to have said in Kuching: “It took me six months to be nice, to bribe each and every individual to get back into their good books before our files were attended to. That was my personal experience. I am telling this to all the clerks and all the registries to stop this nonsense.”

The cassette tape recording played for reporters was not very clear but in general appeared to be consistent with the words contained in the NST report.

On the same day that the NST story was published, Zaki issued a clarification that said: “Your reporter must have interpreted what I said which is during that period there was corruption in order to get things done at the court registry, as I myself having done it. I have never in my life bribed or received any bribe.”

Karpal called the clarification a lie and inconsistent with the audio recording.

He also complained that the police have not taken any action on a police report that he lodged. “Within 2 days of police reports made against me, the police came looking for me. Why the double standards?”

Karpal called on the police to take his statement so that he can submit the audio tape as evidence.

“This tape is solid evidence,” Karpal said. “He (Zaki) has become an embarrassment to the judiciary. I would prefer if he voluntarily resigns. If he fails to do so, the Conference of Rulers should withdraw their consent for him to be made the chief justice.”

Karpal declined to reveal the source who provided the tape recording.

The DAP chairman also questioned Zaki’s appointment as head of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC). “A man who is corrupted will decide on who will be a judge,” he said. “I challenge the chief justice to deny what I said.”

On a separate topic, Karpal says that he has not been isolated by his party. “DAP is solidly behind me,” he said. “We had a meeting on Monday (two days ago) and there is no doubt. I have not been isolated.”

Umno Youth angrily mobs Karpal in Parliament

By : V. Vasudevan & Eileen Ng

DEWAN RAKYAT, Thurs:

7:07pm UPDATE: DAP chairman and MP for Bukit Gelugor Karpal Singh was confronted by a group of Selangor Umno Youth members at the Parliament tower block this afternoon but this soon culminated in a shouting match and a scuffle that led MP for Segambut Lim Lip Eng to having his shirt tugged.

The group had been waiting at the parliament tower for Karpal and as soon as he arrived they surrounded him and started heckling him over his warning to Pemuda Umno yesterday.

He accused Umno Youth of having sent him two bullets while debating the Royal Address.

"Where did the celaka Pemuda Umno fellows get the bullets?" he had asked while pronouncing himself not afraid.

The drama started when Karpal was confronted by the 22-member group comprising Selangor Umno Youth members as the MP was making his way into the parliament's tower block at 2.45pm.



The group had been waiting for Karpal since 1.30pm.Noticing the veteran politician, the group surrounded the wheelchair-bound Karpal and demanded that he apologise for remarks made against Umno Youth in the House on yesterday.

However, Karpal refused to recant his allegation that the wing had sent bullets in the mail to him recently, as well as using the term “celaka” (damn) to berate the movement.

Pakatan Rakyat MPs - Fong Kui Loon (DAP-Bukit Bintang), N. Gobalakrishnan (PKR-Padang Serai) and Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut), who just came back from lunch, went to Karpal’s aid after being informed by parliament staff of the incident.

They claimed they were roughed up by the mob, with their bodies pushed and shoved by several Umno members. "One even pulled my tie. At one point, I nearly fell into the fountain," Lim claimed.

However, the trio manage to wheel Karpal into the House, while the Umno Youth group continued to heckle and shout at them.

Moments later, Liew Chin Tong (DAP-Bukit Bendera) tried to cool down the situation but he was greeted by more shouts.

"Who are you? Go away," shouted several members of the mob.
.
Karpal's son, Gobind Singh (DAP-Puchong), who sprinted to his father's aid, traded verbal blows with the group. At one point, Gobind and a member of the mob had to be restrained by their respective members to prevent fisticuffs.

The situation improved after BN Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) chief Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing appeared and urged the group to disperse.

"Please go back and respect the House. We can't have such incidents happening here," he told them.

Gombak Umno Youth chief Megat Zulkarnain Omardin, who was part of the mob, told reporters that they are Umno members “willing to die defending the party.”

"He (Karpal) must stop insulting the Rulers and the Malays," he said. “Our patience is running out.”

Karpal immediately took up the matter in Chambers and demanded to know how the group made it into the compound.

"What security is the House providing?" he asked speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, who promised to investigate and assured members that everything was done to protect them.

"I am disabled but not intimidated by this. The police were there and they just watched," Karpal claimed.

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said not agreeing with Karpal was not an excuse to get physical with him. "We must come up with a ruling that all parliamentarians must be protected," he said.

Later, at a Press conference at the Parliament lobby, Karpal remained defiant despite the scare. “I maybe in a wheelchair but I will not be cowed or intimidated by anyone,” the MP dubbed the Tiger of Jelutong said.

The Press conference was also attended by Pakatan Rakyat leaders and members. Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP parliamentary leader, Lim Kit Siang were at Karpal's side.

The MP for Bukit Gelugor also declared he would not apologise for the terms he had used while debating the Royal Address yesterday.

“There is no question of apology," he said. "They abused and threatened me and insisted I apologise. I said that was out and told them back off. They were becoming menacing and they looked like they were ready to hit me."

Karpal likened the group antics as to that of brazen gangsters. “As an MP, I have duties which I will carry out without fear,” he said.

Karpal also criticised parliament security. “Each time we start the sitting, there is a motion by the Home Minister to ensure that members have safe passage to parliament and are safe from any disturbances while here. How could they allow them to enter the parliament compound? Where is the security?” he asked.

Despite the incident, Karpal did not lose his sense of humour. “Singh is King. I should be paid royalty for promoting the movie (the Bollywood movie). I will share the royalty with you all (looking at the press),” he quipped.

Karpal had twice referred to the title of the movie in passing as a way of reinforcing his credentials as a fearless man.

Opposition leader, Anwar said he was disappointed with the uncultured behaviour of the Umno Youth members. “I demand fast action from the authorities that MPs are safe and their security assured,” he said.

Lim said this was the first time the Parliament history that such an incident had occurred. “It is shameful and outrageous. It is in violation of parliament sanctity. This shows how ugly Malaysian politics have become,” he said.

Lim called on Umno Youth Chief Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein and Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to publicly apologise for this outrage.

Umno Youth angrily mobs Karpal in Parliament

By : V. Vasudevan & Eileen Ng

DEWAN RAKYAT, Thurs:

7:07pm UPDATE: DAP chairman and MP for Bukit Gelugor Karpal Singh was confronted by a group of Selangor Umno Youth members at the Parliament tower block this afternoon but this soon culminated in a shouting match and a scuffle that led MP for Segambut Lim Lip Eng to having his shirt tugged.

The group had been waiting at the parliament tower for Karpal and as soon as he arrived they surrounded him and started heckling him over his warning to Pemuda Umno yesterday.

He accused Umno Youth of having sent him two bullets while debating the Royal Address.

"Where did the celaka Pemuda Umno fellows get the bullets?" he had asked while pronouncing himself not afraid.

The drama started when Karpal was confronted by the 22-member group comprising Selangor Umno Youth members as the MP was making his way into the parliament's tower block at 2.45pm.



The group had been waiting for Karpal since 1.30pm.Noticing the veteran politician, the group surrounded the wheelchair-bound Karpal and demanded that he apologise for remarks made against Umno Youth in the House on yesterday.

However, Karpal refused to recant his allegation that the wing had sent bullets in the mail to him recently, as well as using the term “celaka” (damn) to berate the movement.

Pakatan Rakyat MPs - Fong Kui Loon (DAP-Bukit Bintang), N. Gobalakrishnan (PKR-Padang Serai) and Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut), who just came back from lunch, went to Karpal’s aid after being informed by parliament staff of the incident.

They claimed they were roughed up by the mob, with their bodies pushed and shoved by several Umno members. "One even pulled my tie. At one point, I nearly fell into the fountain," Lim claimed.

However, the trio manage to wheel Karpal into the House, while the Umno Youth group continued to heckle and shout at them.

Moments later, Liew Chin Tong (DAP-Bukit Bendera) tried to cool down the situation but he was greeted by more shouts.

"Who are you? Go away," shouted several members of the mob.
.
Karpal's son, Gobind Singh (DAP-Puchong), who sprinted to his father's aid, traded verbal blows with the group. At one point, Gobind and a member of the mob had to be restrained by their respective members to prevent fisticuffs.

The situation improved after BN Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) chief Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing appeared and urged the group to disperse.

"Please go back and respect the House. We can't have such incidents happening here," he told them.

Gombak Umno Youth chief Megat Zulkarnain Omardin, who was part of the mob, told reporters that they are Umno members “willing to die defending the party.”

"He (Karpal) must stop insulting the Rulers and the Malays," he said. “Our patience is running out.”

Karpal immediately took up the matter in Chambers and demanded to know how the group made it into the compound.

"What security is the House providing?" he asked speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, who promised to investigate and assured members that everything was done to protect them.

"I am disabled but not intimidated by this. The police were there and they just watched," Karpal claimed.

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said not agreeing with Karpal was not an excuse to get physical with him. "We must come up with a ruling that all parliamentarians must be protected," he said.

Later, at a Press conference at the Parliament lobby, Karpal remained defiant despite the scare. “I maybe in a wheelchair but I will not be cowed or intimidated by anyone,” the MP dubbed the Tiger of Jelutong said.

The Press conference was also attended by Pakatan Rakyat leaders and members. Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP parliamentary leader, Lim Kit Siang were at Karpal's side.

The MP for Bukit Gelugor also declared he would not apologise for the terms he had used while debating the Royal Address yesterday.

“There is no question of apology," he said. "They abused and threatened me and insisted I apologise. I said that was out and told them back off. They were becoming menacing and they looked like they were ready to hit me."

Karpal likened the group antics as to that of brazen gangsters. “As an MP, I have duties which I will carry out without fear,” he said.

Karpal also criticised parliament security. “Each time we start the sitting, there is a motion by the Home Minister to ensure that members have safe passage to parliament and are safe from any disturbances while here. How could they allow them to enter the parliament compound? Where is the security?” he asked.

Despite the incident, Karpal did not lose his sense of humour. “Singh is King. I should be paid royalty for promoting the movie (the Bollywood movie). I will share the royalty with you all (looking at the press),” he quipped.

Karpal had twice referred to the title of the movie in passing as a way of reinforcing his credentials as a fearless man.

Opposition leader, Anwar said he was disappointed with the uncultured behaviour of the Umno Youth members. “I demand fast action from the authorities that MPs are safe and their security assured,” he said.

Lim said this was the first time the Parliament history that such an incident had occurred. “It is shameful and outrageous. It is in violation of parliament sanctity. This shows how ugly Malaysian politics have become,” he said.

Lim called on Umno Youth Chief Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein and Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to publicly apologise for this outrage.

Pakatan Rakyat Row Hots Up: Karpal chides Kapar rep, urges him to quit

KUALA LUMPUR: The Kapar member of parliament should resign as MP and wait another five years before contesting, DAP chairman Karpal Singh said yesterday.

He said S. Manikavasagam, who is expected to resign from Parti Keadilan Rakyat before the New Year, was elected as an MP on a PKR ticket.

"People did not elect him in his personal capacity. He has no right to leave PKR and join any other party.

"His only other option is to resign so that the people in the constituency can decide what they want," Karpal said.

Karpal said there was a constitutional provision which states that an elected representative who resigns cannot stand for an election or by-election for a period of five years.
"This constitutional provision was included in the constitution by way of amendment by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad when Semangat 46 was formed."

Karpal said Manikavasagam should not use the five-year ban as an excuse to remain an MP.

"Under the circumstances, he should resign. If he decides that he is unhappy with PKR, then a by-election would be proper," he said.

Karpal also said Selangor assembly speaker Teng Chang Khim should not have got into a spat with Manikavasagam and Klang MP Charles Santiago over the Klang Sentral Terminal issue.

Teng said Santiago had been bought over by the BN when he protested against the relocation of the current bus and taxi station to the new Klang Sentral Terminal.