Karpal to be given state funeral

Guan Eng said the Penang state exco had also agreed to fly the state flag half mast for three days.

He said the flag used to drape Karpal’s coffin will be given to his family members as a sign of respect for the veteran leader.

Guan Eng together with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de factor leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Penang state DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow were among the Opposition leaders who paid their last respects to Karpal whose body was brought to his home in Georgetown around 4.30pm Thursday.

Karpal’s wife Gurmit Kaur was a picture of grief when she had to be carried inside into their home, upon arriving from the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital, Ipoh, Perak.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had also taken time to pay his last respects to the Gelugor member of Parliament.

He spent about 15 minutes meeting the late Karpal’s family members before leaving.

Meanwhile, Anwar in his reaction said he had lost a friend, political ally and a lawyer who was committed in his struggles.

He said he never thought that his conversation with Karpal at 6pm yesterday was his last with the lawyer. The veteran DAP leader died in an accident at Kilometre 301.6, North-South Highway near Gua Tempurung, Perak around 1.30am today.

His aide Michael Cornandez who was travelling with him also died while Karpal’s son Ram Karpal is seriously injured.

Karpal was on his way from Kuala Lumpur to Penang for a court case this morning when he met with the accident.