Karpal Singh was a true Malaysian hero

Murray Hunter


Karpal Singh was a true Malaysian hero

Prem Singh Gill’s tribute


Aug 19, 2025






Its not often a Malaysian politician is lauded internationally for courage and fearlessness. Visiting Fellow at the Royal Asiatic Society (England and Ireland) and a Visiting Scholar in Thai Public Universities Prem Singh Gill’s tribute to Karpal Singh is one of those few times. This also comes at a time when challenging the constitutional power of the monarch is now against the 3Rs and will lead to arrest and charges of sedition.

The DAP’s Karpal Singh was fearless and not scared of the authorities. He was a true believer in the constitution, which many in government have conveniently forgotten.

On Karpal Singh, Prem wrote;

“Malaysia's Karpal Singh didn't just challenge power—he redefined what courage looks like in Southeast Asia's monarchical systems. The late lawyer's audacious threat to sue the Sultan of Perak in 2009 wasn't mere legal theatrics; it was a calculated assault on the notion that royalty sits above accountability. While Singh faced sedition charges and conviction, his posthumous vindication by Malaysia's Federal Court in 2019 proved that even in deferential societies, constitutional monarchies can be forced to bend before the law”.

“Karpal Singh showed that challenging royalty isn't treason—it's citizenship. The question now is whether Thailand's monarchy has the confidence to face the same test that Malaysia's royalty passed, or whether it will require international intervention to learn what Singh taught through domestic courage: that institutions strong enough to deserve respect are strong enough to survive accountability”.

Prem suggests The Hague awaits to challenge the assertion of the 3Rs, while scholars worldwide document the evidence that will ultimately determine whether network monarchy can survive exposure to international law's unflinching scrutiny.

This is what Malaysians may have to do if they want a true democracy. The 3Rs has taken this away, covering any accountability of Royalty behind a pseudo law.

This was the stuff the DAP was once made of. The DAP must now reflective upon its own fearlessness and courage today.

Maybe its time to take the 3R’s and accountability of the monarchy to the ICJ.