Karpal Singh gives an interview to NST (even though Pakatan top guns asked him not to use BM media). Later Malaysiakini reports that:

DAP’s top leaders have agreed to set aside their differences and focus on the upcoming by-elections for the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat in Perak and Bukit Selambau state seat in Kedah.

MCPX

The party’s chairperson Karpal Singh, supremo Lim Kit Siang and former chairperson Dr Chen Man Hin held a meeting last night where they agreed to bury the hatchet.

The interview:

DAP chairman Karpal Singh is in fighting mood and ready to take on anyone, including his own party leaders. The veteran politician’s robust position has not been appreciated after his attacks on Pakatan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and even his own party colleagues Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng. Has Karpal taken on more than he can chew with opposition coming fast and furious not only from within his party but also those angered by his stand on the Sultan of Perak’s appointment of a new menteri besar? He spoke to SHARANJIT SINGH yesterday

Q: Many police reports have been lodged against you on the Sultan of Perak issue. What do you think of the reports?

A: These people are ignorant of the law and are completely misguided for accusing me of disrespecting the sultan. There is nothing illegal in what I have stated in relation to the sultan being subject to the due process of law. I know what I am talking about.

Q: There are also calls for you to be detained under the Internal Security Act. What do you have to say about this?

A: So what’s new? Besides calling for the ISA to be used against me, some people also want me to be banished from Perak and my citizenship revoked. How foolish one can get is beyond me. I cannot lawfully be banished from Perak, which is a constituent state in the Federation of Malaysia. Neither can my citizenship be revoked as I was born a citizen in Penang on June 28, 1940. Idle threats are, therefore, of no consequence to me and neither is empty rhetoric criticising me in the execution of my duties.

Q: You have also come under attack from all sides for your uncompromising stand on defections. What do you have to say to the critics?

A: The attacks against me do not trouble me as I was only speaking the truth. I have been speaking up against party-hopping as far back as the formation of the DAP itself. I am sure I can be excused for being a little emotional when it comes to the issue as I have stuck my neck out on this matter of principle on more than one occasion. I am now being taken to task while other DAP leaders have chosen to keep mum. The impression is that I am choosing my own fight and it has nothing to do with the party. This is nonsense as it has everything to do with the party. We must always stick to the principles.

Q: Do you feel party leaders like Kit Siang and Guan Eng have deserted you?

A: Their flip-flop (on party hopping) is most unfortunate. Guan Eng in particular issued a statement on Jan 26 welcoming Bota assemblyman Datuk Nasarudin Hashim’s crossover from Umno to Pakatan Rakyat. However, on Feb 6, he changed his tune when our assemblywoman from Jelapang (Hee Yit Foong) hopped over to the other side. He described Hee’s move to support Perak Barisan Nasional as tantamount to betraying the trust of those who had voted for her. I only hope he (Guan Eng) was misquoted. His statement has been haunting me as our members are questioning the conflicting stand of the secretary-general and party chairman.

Q: Why didn’t you settle it internally without making it public and allowing the DAP’s political enemies to capitalise on the issue?

A: The flip-flop by party leaders was done openly. How can I keep quiet? I was left with no alternative but to make a public statement to clear the air. Nobody can fault me for speaking out because it is relevant to what happened in Perak. We lost a state because of the inconsistent stand. I have said what I wanted to say and I stand by it.

Q: Do you think the party will act against you for your single-minded approach on this issue?

A: I have said nothing wrong that they (party leaders) should not support me. The members, including party leaders, are 100 per cent with me on the issues of hudud law and also our stand on party-hopping.