GEORGE TOWN: Karpal Singh’s funeral this Sunday morning will be accorded the Penang state honours, announced Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng here today.
“This means the state flags would be flown half-mast until the funeral day on Sunday.
“The state flag will be accorded to cover Karpal’s casket.
“Finally a public ceremony will be held in Dewan Sri Pinang for the lay public to pay their last and final respects to Karpal.
“This is the last respect being accorded to a Penang MP and a statesman by the state government,” Lim told a press conference at Karpal’s house in Jalan Utama here today.
He said the state executive council decided this afternoon to honour Karpal, a son of Penang, a funeral with state honours.
Also present were Karpal’s sons Gobind and Jagdeep Singh Deo, and Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow.
Chow has been appointed as the coordinator to accord the state honours for Karpal’s funeral.
Gobind and Jagdeep later thanked the state government for according their father, a senior parliamentarian and DAP’s leader, a funeral with state honours.
They also thanked leaders of various political parties, such as Deputy Prime Minister and Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim and PAS stalwart Mohamad Sabu, supporters and lay public for visiting and paying their last respects to their father.
Meanwhile Anwar said the loss of Karpal was irreplaceable.
Tribute tonight
The Parliamentary Opposition Leader revealed that he spoke to Karpal yesterday evening about his sodomy case appeal to the Federal Court.
Anwar said Karpal informed him that he would drop all his other work for next two days to concentrate on the appeal.
“He told me that he had 10 days to file the appeal. He told me not to worry and that he would,” Anwar added.
Anwar said Karpal had always stood by the Permatang Pauh MP and his family, and committed to his struggle since 1998.
“He was passionate in his defence and never wavered from his position. He always exercised his full rights. He was an indefatigable fighter of justice,” said Anwar.
DAP meanwhile announced that it had postponed all its programmes until after Karpal’s funeral. However, programmes arranged by PKR and PAS would go ahead as scheduled.
Tonight’s Refomasi 2.0 rally at Seberang Jaya would go ahead but Anwar indicated that it would be different than originally planned.
“We will pay our respect and tribute to Karpal. We will tell the crowd why Karpal must be remembered?” said Anwar.
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