We are often faced with this situation: when someone related to us or we had known, passes on. We sometimes feel obliged, rather than have a natural compassion, to pay our last respects. But sometimes, I would feel it odd because the deceased did not get my attention when alive, only after he or she passed on.
Last Saturday in PJ, I was surprised when someone said she thought I would be in Penang to attend Karpal Singh's funeral. Who am I, to be expected at former DAP chairman's funeral? Of course, I knew him but he did not know me, just like many fans of well known politicians. Basically, I dislike large crowds, whatever the occasion, and usually, the decision would depend on whether I have to (relative or close friend), rather than whether I want to (admittedly not sociable these days). Had I personally been indebted to him because of his past help, then I would naturally make a trip to pay my last respect to him.
As an ordinary member of DAP, whether I was seen at the funeral was not important at all especially when there was a large crowd; unlike DAP leaders like Tony Pua, who cut short his talks in Australia; Jeff Ooi, who rushed back from Korea; and many DAP leaders from other states, some who even rushed to the hospital in Kampar as soon as they heard the news; and so on.
Someone had even posted in Facebook about a certain senior DAP leader who rather watched a movie with a lady friend than attend the wake or funeral in Penang. Goes to show how important it is to be politically correct as a politician, and that there are people watching your every move.
Among the thousands of people who attended the state funeral procession in Penang, they could be classified broadly as follows:
Genuinely touched by Karpal's kindness as a great defence lawyer over 40 years of his legal career, who chose certain cases because of the cause of each case (often pro bono) eg. accused were without proper legal representation, especially those due to be hanged;
Those who enjoy mingling with large crowds for whatever occasions and hope to appear on tv or newspapers;
Political opponents who were not interested but compelled to attend to show they were beyond petty politics and had to be seen to be politically correct (notable ex-opponents were Dr Ling Leong Sik and Samy Vellu, ex-Presidents of MCA and MIC respectfully);
DAP, PKR and PAS leaders and members who genuinely admire Karpal Singh;
DAP, PKR and PAS leaders (especially upcoming ones) and their ambitious members who were not interested but felt the need to attend to show their faces so as to be noticed; and so on.
There were those who did not attend for various reasons:
Political opponents who had taken strong actions against Karpal and who would not be comfortable among those who were distressed by his tragic and untimely death;
Ex-colleagues within DAP or Pakatan Rakyat who had burned bridges with party leaders and might feel uncomfortable in their presence;
Fans of Karpal who were passive by nature, who admired him from a distance, and who felt a sudden loss over his death; and so on.
But one thing we can be sure of is that the large crowd seen at each place: at Kampar hospital; at home during wake; funeral rites and state funeral procession; and memorial services across the country; were more of people who attended spontaneously because of admiration for his unwavering principles in upholding justice, equality and human rights over his long legal and political career, rather than those I have just described. The show of support was overwhelming an outpouring of respect, admiration and gratitude by the general public for a great man, and obviously not stage-managed.
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Last Saturday in PJ, I was surprised when someone said she thought I would be in Penang to attend Karpal Singh's funeral. Who am I, to be expected at former DAP chairman's funeral? Of course, I knew him but he did not know me, just like many fans of well known politicians. Basically, I dislike large crowds, whatever the occasion, and usually, the decision would depend on whether I have to (relative or close friend), rather than whether I want to (admittedly not sociable these days). Had I personally been indebted to him because of his past help, then I would naturally make a trip to pay my last respect to him.
As an ordinary member of DAP, whether I was seen at the funeral was not important at all especially when there was a large crowd; unlike DAP leaders like Tony Pua, who cut short his talks in Australia; Jeff Ooi, who rushed back from Korea; and many DAP leaders from other states, some who even rushed to the hospital in Kampar as soon as they heard the news; and so on.
Someone had even posted in Facebook about a certain senior DAP leader who rather watched a movie with a lady friend than attend the wake or funeral in Penang. Goes to show how important it is to be politically correct as a politician, and that there are people watching your every move.
Among the thousands of people who attended the state funeral procession in Penang, they could be classified broadly as follows:
Genuinely touched by Karpal's kindness as a great defence lawyer over 40 years of his legal career, who chose certain cases because of the cause of each case (often pro bono) eg. accused were without proper legal representation, especially those due to be hanged;
Those who enjoy mingling with large crowds for whatever occasions and hope to appear on tv or newspapers;
Political opponents who were not interested but compelled to attend to show they were beyond petty politics and had to be seen to be politically correct (notable ex-opponents were Dr Ling Leong Sik and Samy Vellu, ex-Presidents of MCA and MIC respectfully);
DAP, PKR and PAS leaders and members who genuinely admire Karpal Singh;
DAP, PKR and PAS leaders (especially upcoming ones) and their ambitious members who were not interested but felt the need to attend to show their faces so as to be noticed; and so on.
There were those who did not attend for various reasons:
Political opponents who had taken strong actions against Karpal and who would not be comfortable among those who were distressed by his tragic and untimely death;
Ex-colleagues within DAP or Pakatan Rakyat who had burned bridges with party leaders and might feel uncomfortable in their presence;
Fans of Karpal who were passive by nature, who admired him from a distance, and who felt a sudden loss over his death; and so on.
But one thing we can be sure of is that the large crowd seen at each place: at Kampar hospital; at home during wake; funeral rites and state funeral procession; and memorial services across the country; were more of people who attended spontaneously because of admiration for his unwavering principles in upholding justice, equality and human rights over his long legal and political career, rather than those I have just described. The show of support was overwhelming an outpouring of respect, admiration and gratitude by the general public for a great man, and obviously not stage-managed.
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