(April 17): Today marks the first anniversary of the passing away of outspoken veteran politician and one of Malaysia’s most prominent lawyers, Karpal Singh.

Following his death, Karpal’s third son Ramkarpal stepped up to take over both his legal practice and his constituency in Bukit Gelugor, Penang.

In memory of the “Tiger of Jelutong”, The Malaysian Insider spoke to Ramkarpal about his hopes for a better Malaysia, and also what life without his father has been like this past year.

The Malaysian Insider: As a first-term politician, what is your vision for a better Malaysia?

Ramkarpal: A better Malaysia for me, would mean greater racial unity. That is certainly a priority. I think unscrupulous, irresponsible parties today are disrupting the balance of inter-racial harmony. A lot of it is being done for selfish purposes, for political mileage. As a result of this, things are different from 10 or 20 years ago.

That is a priority that needs to be addressed in Malaysia. There are so many other things but the fundamentals boil down to that. There’s also of course the issue of a fair distribution of wealth. It’s important that wealth isn’t distributed only to a small percentage of society. That is something the country has suffered from over the years.

TMI: What do you think is the biggest roadblock to that vision?

Ramkarpal: The major issue now is the restriction when it comes to the freedom of speech and thought. It remains to be seen, how the amendments to the Sedition Act, and even Pota (Prevention of Terrorism Act Pota), are implemented. If these repressive laws are implemented harshly, it can be the main impediment to the growth of the country.

TMI: Many Malaysians feel the country is on a downward spiral in terms of economic growth, civil liberties and racial tensions. How do you think we can work towards a better Malaysia?

Ramkarpal: Change the government. Whether or not Pakatan Rakyat will be a better government, I think that’s not the issue. The point here is that if you feel we are just another Barisan Nasional (BN) or worse, then kick us out after a term. But give us a chance, because the government of today is not working out.

There are so many reasons for changing the government today. It’s just a rot that is not anywhere close to stopping. Whether you’re a BN supporter or not, it’s not a question of your allegiance, it’s a question of where your country is headed.

You have to realise where this country will be in 10 or 20 years. What sort of quality of life will your children have? People need to be mature enough to understand this.

The top priority is not your allegiance, it’s more the country and where it’s headed. At this point in time, at least we have a 2-party system. That’s a step in the right direction. Twenty years ago, this was unthinkable. But we’re there now. So to think of a change in government, better policies, a better Malaysia... certainly it is something which is possible.

TMI: It has been a year since your father’s death. How has life been without Karpal Singh for your family?

Ramkarpal: Well, of course it hasn’t been easy. This past year has been very, very trying. We’ve had to deal with a completely new life. I miss him. We all miss him very much. He’s been such a big influence on us all. But I think the hardest thing is he went without notice. He was there and just like that, he was gone. That was a hard pill to swallow.

I think holding everything together still poses quite a challenge, but I’m thankful that as a family, we’ve all managed to be there for each other, support each other. So, although it’s a very painful time, we just have to take it and weather the storm. So it’s been a tough year, really, really tough year. But we just have to somehow get on with it. Work as hard as you can and hope for the best.

TMI: You were very close to your father. How has it been for you, personally, this past year without him?

Ramkarpal: The pain comes and goes. Sometimes you find yourself sitting in court, and flashes of him just come and go. I’ve done cases with him, I have lunch with him, he was a large part of my life. And suddenly he’s not there. The next day you have to go back to court and carry on your work, without him there.

You still have those very real memories because he was just there, not so long ago. The legal job I’m doing now is very closely related to him. It’s basically what he used to do. Even the cases he was halfway through, I’ve had to take over. So I’m reading the notes he took, and it’s not been easy. It’s not been an easy year, but I’m coping, and trying my best.

Does it get better? Does it get easier? I don’t know, but certainly of course you need to get used to the fact he is not around. But I will never forget him. The memories are all good memories, so that helps. It’s a good thing to remember, and then move forward. – The Malaysian Insider

In Part I of the interview yesterday, Ramkarpal spoke about the circumstances surrounding his thrust into politics, and how he deals with the inevitable comparisons made between his late father and himself.