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©The Sun (Used by permission)
by Humayun Kabir, Kimberly Lau and Llew-Ann Phang

TAIPING (May 11, 2008): The federal government should not interfere in police investigations into reports lodged against DAP chairman Karpal Singh for allegedly committing sedition by questioning the powers of the Perak Sultan.

DAP's Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang said: "Do not interfere in the legal procedure, let the Attorney-General (A-G) and police investigate the matter."

Lim urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to withdraw the police report against Karpal Singh as Karpal Singh had spoken purely on a legal point of law. He said Umno should not politicise the issue for its own benefit."

The DAP strongman spoke in a dialogue with the people to address their problems in the Kwang Tong Association here last night. About 1,000 people attended the dialogue which saw the people voicing their grievances on several issues.

Since last Monday, several police reports were lodged in Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Port Dickson, Muar and George Town, calling for action against Karpal Singh.

Karpal Singh was reported to have said the Perak Sultan did not have the power to reinstate the Perak Religious Department director Datuk Jamry Sury who was transferred by the Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin.

He was also reported to have said in Parliament on Monday that state governments had the right to move civil servants without consulting heads of state.

He maintains that he did not question the prerogative of the Sultan and has not committed any offence. Karpal Singh quoted a legal case in Pengarah Pelajaran Wilayah Persekutuan & Others vs Loot Ting Yee where the Federal Court had decided that a civil servant did not have a right to be heard as transfer does not amount to dismissal or reduction in rank. He had said the principles in the decision apply equally to state civil servants.

"I fail to understand why there was such an uproar over what is purely a legal issue backed by the Privy Council in London, which, until 1985, was the highest court in Malaysia," said Lim.

Karpal Singh has also threatened legal action against those who continued to make defamatory remarks against him regarding the issue.

He also reportedly warned the Prime Minister and his deputy, saying he will not hesitate to take legal action against them if they persist in making defamatory remarks against him.

On Saturday, he was quoted as saying that he fears for his safety after the Prime Minister’s call to the A-G to decide quickly whether to charge him for questioning the powers of the Perak Sultan.

It was also reported that DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said Karpal Singh was merely stating a case in law and had done nothing wrong.

Lim also accused Barisan Nasional leaders of taking a selective approach and practising double standards.

Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein said the party will not retreat from defending the rights of royalties.

"Defending the rights of our raja is something we will not compromise. Karpal Singh touched on two things that Malays feel are off-limits. Our religion and the royalties' rights. What he said angers not only the Malays but also normal people and the royalties."

Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said Karpal Singh's statement has caused a lot of misunderstandings. "He must be careful and know how to respect the role of the raja in religious matters."

Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz felt the Opposition parties' arrogance was the cause for Karpal Singh's outburst.

"I regret that the Opposition party feels that they are so big that they can test this right. They feel they have the right to disturb because they won in so many states."

A court of law must determine if Karpal Singh's statement is one of sedition, of a crime of "lese majeste (insulting the monarchy), said former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"First you have to know what a seditious statement is and why it is regarded as sedition. You have to get a court of law to determine whether it is seditious or not but if it is seditious, then we should make clear that if you say these things against the King, it is a crime.

"However, Malaysia does not have such a provision," Mahathir told reporters after his address at a Look East Policy forum today..

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