THE people would have remembered him as a man of principle who had gone through great challenges during his years in politics.
He was one of the pillars in his party that kept the party going.
But to his children, he was a loving and caring father who had never failed to give good guidance and advice.
Penang Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said that he missed the late Karpal Singh as a father.
“What I miss most about him is I miss him as a father. He was always the role model. He had his principles and he stood by them all the time.
“My father had sacrificed a lot and that is the legacy he left behind, a legacy which we are all trying to emulate,” he told a press conference after the fifth anniversary prayers for the late leader at Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Penang in Jalan Gurdwara today.
Jagdeep said his family felt more emotional this year because Karpal had been acquitted posthumously of sedition charge recently.
“This is something that is very close to our hearts and it makes things more emotional as he is not here to celebrate his acquittal.
“All our prayers are with him and I believe he is smiling from up there,” he said.
Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo said his late father was a person of great experience.
“I miss his advice and guidance. Now that we have taken over the Federal Government, there are a lot of challenges ahead.
“He has contributed so much to this country. Five years is over and he is still strong in our memories,” Gobind said.
Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh said he missed Karpal very much as a son.
“I miss his presence. It is important that we keep his memory alive. We can see many of his ideas and values are being transformed into reforms today,” Ramkarpal said.
Among those present were Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, his father who is also the Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang, Guan Eng’s mother Neo Yoke Tee, Senator Lim Hui Ying, Jelutong MP R.S.N. Rayer, Sungai Pinang assemblyman Lim Siew Khim, Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Daniel Gooi and Karpal’s wife Gurmit Kaur.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Chan Kok Kuan