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Very sad that after what Karpal had done to fight for justice and freedom for Anwar Ibrahim, even putting his own personal freedom and life on the line when he was arrested and charged for sedition for his defence of Anwar, he is targeted by Parti Keadilan Rakyat not to help him win but to lose the Bukit Glugor parliamentary seat with split votes Media Conference Statement (2) by Lim Kit Siang (Penang, Wednesday): When I read the announcement by Parti Keadilan Rakyat announcing its candidate to fight Karpal Singh in the Bukit Glugor parliamentary constituency in the 2004 general election, I felt an immense sense of sadness. I feel very sad that after what Karpal had done in the past six years to fight for justice and freedom for former Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, even putting his own personal freedom and life on the line when he was arrested and charged for sedition for his defence of Anwar, he is targeted by Parti Keadilan Rakyat not to help him win but to lose the Bukit Glugor parliamentary seat with split votes. I have long learnt not to expect gratitude in politics or one is only destined to have endless heart-aches and heart-burns. One must do what is right in accordance with one’s political beliefs for the betterment of the people, society and country, and must be prepared for the loneliness of a long-distance runner – but it is really beyond the pale when KeAdilan can announce its intention to ensure Karpal’s defeat in Bukit Glugor after what he had done for Anwar Ibrahim. If the Attorney-General had not withdrawn the sedition charge against Karpal as a result of international outcry and pressure, and Karpal had been convicted of the sedition offence and jailed – just like former DAP MP for Kota Melaka Lim Guan Eng who was jailed for sedition for courageously championing the cause of an underaged Malay girl, removed as Member of Parliament and still disenfranchised of his civic and political rights as he is still unable to contest in the 2004 general election - Karpal would have also been both politically and professionally disqualified and the country lost one of its most eminent constitutional, criminal and human rights lawyer of international fame and one of its most articulate political leaders. I would have thought that after what Karpal had done for Anwar Ibrahim, Parti Keadilan Rakyat would have formed a special “support Karpal Singh” team to campaign for Karpal wherever he is standing for election in the general election. Instead, Parti Keadilan Rakyat is out to show its determination to ensure Karpal’s defeat with split votes – so that Karpal cannot return to Parliament to champion the cause of Anwar Ibrahim! I said I had long learnt not to expect gratitude in politics. I had never flinched from being in the forefront to espouse the cause of Anwar Ibrahim for his is undoubtedly a victim of political persecution and a grave and historic injustice in the nation’s history. I will not be deterred however by my great sadness about Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s abnormal determination to ensure Karpal’s defeat in Bukit Glugor to continue to espouse Anwar’s cause – or the injustices suffered by the other KeAdilan leaders.
* Lim Kit Siang, DAP National Chairman |