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Malaysian Insider
I lunged forward to protect dad when our car crashed into lorry, Ramkarpal tells court
Published: 23 April 2015 8:34 PM
Lawyer Ramkarpal Singh told the Kampar Magistrate Court today how he lunged forward to protect the late Karpal Singh, who was in the front passenger seat, seconds before their multi-purpose vehicle crashed into a lorry.
Testifying in the trial of driver, C. Selvam, who was at the wheel of the vehicle, Ramkarpal said he was looking at his mobile phone, then looked up and was shocked to see the vehicle going into a lorry.
“I screamed and immediately jumped from my seat behind the driver and moved forward to grab my father’s shoulder.
“We were going into the lorry at a fast speed. It was too close and I screamed,” he said during cross-examination.
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theSundaily
Ramkarpal describes moments before crash
Last updated on 23 April 2015 – 11:57pm
KAMPAR: Ramkarpal Singh, 38, a witness in the trial of the driver of former DAP chairman Karpal Singh, said he jumped from his seat and lunged towards his father’s seat seconds before the Toyota Alphard was involved in a collision with a lorry.
He said this under cross-examination by Baljit Singh, counsel for the driver C. Selvam, 27, an Indian national who is charged under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for dangerous and reckless driving at the Kampar magistrate’s court here.
In February during the trial at the same court he had repeated the testimony when questioned by DPP Yusaini Amer Abdul Karim.
The Bukit Gelugor MP said: “I was looking at my handphone and ironically looked up and front to see and was shocked to see our vehicle was going into a lorry.
“I screamed and immediately jumped from my seat behind the driver and moved forward to grab the shoulder of my father who was seated on the front passenger seat.
“I had to kneel down and I was shielded by the chair…the front passenger seat was pushed behind to become the rear seat upon impact of the crash.”
Ramkarpal demonstrated to magistrate Mohamad Ibrahim Mohammad Gulam as to how he had jumped forward to Karpal’s seat.
He also demonstrated with two toys how the MPV was behind the lorry before the crash.
“We were going into the lorry at a fast speed and too close and I screamed.”
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1394452
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Free Malaysia Today
Karpal’s driver goes bald to offer prayers
Almost a year after DAP chairman’s fatal accident, driver Selvam awaits trial.
SEBERANG JAYA: The late Karpal Singh’s former driver C Selvam went bald today to offer prayers at a Hindu temple here for his former boss and his colleague Michael Cornelius, both of whom died in a road accident almost a year ago.
Selvam, who was at the wheel of Karpal’s Toyota Alphard that night, said he felt abandoned by Karpal’s family since the accident, but it would not deter him from showing his love of Karpal and Michael.
Karpal, 74, the former DAP national chairman, and his personal aide Michael, 39, died instantly when their car collided with a lorry near Kampar on the North-South Expressway on April 17 last year.
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With the first anniversary of the accident falling next Friday, Selvam went bald today at 10am to offer his penance to Lord Muruga Perumaan, his favourite Hindu deity, at the Sri Bala Murugan Alayam.
He said he had dreamt about Karpal last week, and was told not to worry about his court case. “In my dream, Karpal told me that he would take care of me on the case,” he said.
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The trial, in Kampar, begins on April 23. Selvam is represented by lawyer Baljit Singh, chairman of the Gerakan legal and human rights national bureau.
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Star
Monday August 4, 2014 MYT 11:28:11 AM
Parti Cinta’s Huan posts bail for Karpal’s driver Selvam
KAMPAR: Parti Cinta Malaysia vice-president Datuk Huan Cheng Guan has posted the bail of RM5,000 for C. Selvam, the late Karpal Singh’s driver.
Selvam has been in Taiping prison since July 9, after he was charged with reckless driving that caused the deaths of the former DAP national chairman and veteran lawyer, and his personal aide Michael Cornelius on April 17.
Huan posted bail at 9.30am Monday at the Kampar Magistrate’s court after preparing a bank draft from a nearby bank.
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Asked why he posted bail, Huan said he did it on humanitarian grounds.
Parti Cinta’s Huan posts bail for Karpal’s driver Selvam
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It is unfortunate that some quarters have thought it fit to politicise the matter and criticise and condemn publicly the family of the late Mr Karpal Singh and the DAP for failing to assist C.Selvam in this case.
Those criticisms are sorely misplaced. Assisting C.Selvam in this case simply does not and cannot arise as we are assisting the victims in this case instead. One cannot assist or act for both sides in any court proceeding, what more in a criminal prosecution. This is most basic.
YB Gobind Singh Deo
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Statement of YB Gobind Singh Deo on the driver:
DAP will offer legal assistance to and act for the families of its late chairman Karpal Singh, his aide the late Micheal Cornelius and his maid, Indonesian national Selfiana Rengga in the trial of C.Selvam who is charged for dangerous and reckless driving resulting in their deaths and injuries on 17 April this year.
I will lead a team of lawyers which will be formed for this purpose. We will hold a watching brief in the Sessions Court Kampar and also file the necessary civil suits in the matter thereafter if necessary.
It is unfortunate that some quarters have thought it fit to politicise the matter and criticise and condemn publicly the family of the late Mr Karpal Singh and the DAP for failing to assist C.Selvam in this case.
Those criticisms are sorely misplaced. Assisting C.Selvam in this case simply does not and cannot arise as we are assisting the victims in this case instead. One cannot assist or act for both sides in any court proceeding, what more in a criminal prosecution. This is most basic.
What happened to the victims in this case was most horrific and nothing can soothe the pain and grief of the families and those affected in the incident.
There have been calls for justice for the accused in this case. We hope there will be justice for the victims in this case as well.
The Attorney-General has thought it fit to prosecute C.Selvam in this case. We will leave it to him to prosecute and the court to decide the fate of C.Selvam.
If C.Selvam is found to have committed no wrong, then he must be cleared. But if he is found to have committed an offence, he must like everyone else who are subject to the laws of Malaysia, face the necessary consequences.
GOBIND SINGH DEO
Chairman
National Legal Bureau
DAP Malaysia.
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My Media Statement dated 2.8.14 on the driver,I refer to the article titled ‘Karpal’s family powerless to help jailed driver’ in the Star dated 2.8.14.I wish to state that I had, at no time, informed the reporter who reported the said article that my family could not do anything about the situation in which the driver of the vehicle, C. Selvam finds himself.I wish to state that I had informed the said reporter that we are unable to assist the said driver legally as a statement had been taken from me regarding the accident, which I witnessed, and that in all likelihood, I would be called as a witness on behalf of the prosecution in its case against the driver and, as such, it would be unethical for me, or any of my family members for that matter, to act on his behalf.There can be no doubt that the driver is free to appoint any counsel of his choice, which remains his right, to defend him in the prosecution’s case against him.
It ought to be elementary to any lawyer that a clear conflict of interest exists in the above scenario and any attempt to politicize same by any quarter would certainly be most unfortunate.
Dated this 2nd day of August, 2014.
3:00PM Aug 3, 2014
Lawyer slams politicking over Karpal’s driver case
Well-known lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar is not impressed with the offer by several political parties to bail out the late Karpal Singh’s jailed driver, C Selvam.He is behind bars, charged with dangerous and reckless driving causing the death of the late DAP chairperson, and is being held under remand in Kampar.
“I think they are politicising things unfairly,” he told Malaysiakini today.
“There are many others who have been charged and are in jail and in need of representation.
“Why not offer to assist those people?” Malik asked.
He also ticked off politicians for sniping at DAP and Karpal’s family for not defending Selvam.
“Karpal’s family is supposed to defend the driver of the car? Really? Ridiculous.
“And for those who invoke Karpal Singh’s memory to justify this, shame on you. It’s disgusting,” he slammed.
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Malaysiakini
1:46PM Aug 2, 2014
Gerakan offers legal aid to Karpal’s driver
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weehingthong 