Saturday May 10, 2008

Karpal firm in face of mounting pressure

By MANJIT KAUR

KUALA LUMPUR: Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh stands by his comments on the powers of the Sultan of Perak despite the increasing number of police reports lodged against him.

He also said he would meet with the police at his Penang law office today.

Karpal Singh

At a press conference in his law firm here yesterday, Karpal Singh said he stood firm on his statement that Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah did not have jurisdiction over the transfer of state Religious Department director Datuk Jamry Sury.

Karpal Singh said he had in no way questioned the prerogative of the Sultan of Perak as the head of the religion of Islam in his state.

“I have not seen the contents of the police reports, but if they state anything false they (those who lodged the reports) have to face the consequences,” he said.

“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should have taken legal advice from the Attorney-General before publicly attacking me for questioning the prerogative of the Sultan of Perak as the head of religion when I did not do so.

“I cannot see how my statement over the transfer of Jamry has impinged on the Sultan’s prerogative as head of religion in Perak.

“I warn the Prime Minister that I will not hesitate to take legal action against him and his deputy if they persist in making defamatory remarks against me.”

Making their stand: Umno members holding a peaceful protest over state DAP chairman Karpal Singh’s remarks at the Taman Tun Sardon mosque in Glugor on Friday.

On the motion of thanks to the King for his address to the Parliament, Karpal Singh said he had in no way insulted the King when he asked who prepared the King’s speech.

“I wanted to know why, if the speech was prepared by the Government, it did not include the reasons for the poor showing of Barisan, and why there was complete absence of any call for the repeal of the Internal Security Act and other repressive legislation,” he added.

On Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin’s statement that he (Karpal Singh) “as a disabled should act like one, but his mouth is not like a disabled”, Karpal Singh said it further condemned and insulted the disabled.

“Such a statement coming for him not only demeans his status as an MP, but also brings into disrepute the august house of Parliament,” he said, adding that he was deeply moved by the wheelchair-bound citizens who demanded that Bung Mokhtar and Independent MP Datuk Ibrahim Ali (Pasir Mas) apologise.