Umno MP admits to Facebook photos of Karpal in death

KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 — Under-fire Umno lawmaker Datuk Nawawi Ahmad admitted today to uploading photos of slain DAP leader, Karpal Singh on the Internet using his smartphone.

The Langkawi MP said he only realised how inappropriate it was to spread the bloody images of the veteran opposition lawmaker and lawyer who was killed in a car crash Thursday much later, after looking them over on a desktop computer.
“After some harrowing days and nights of thinking, I have reached a conclusion that I have done something unethical or unacceptable by the public at large, and I truly regret doing so,” Nawawi told a press conference here today.
The Langkawi MP said he only realised later how inappropriate it was to spread the bloody images of the veteran opposition lawmaker and lawyer who was killed in a car crash Thursday, after looking them over on a desktop computer.
“After some harrowing days and nights of thinking, I have reached a conclusion that I have done something unethical or unacceptable by the public at large, and I truly regret doing so,” Nawawi told a press conference here today.
“Today, I would like to extend my sincerest apologies, especially to the family members of the late YB Karpal Singh, as well as to all Malaysians that were affected by my posting, and I withdraw all my words,” he added.
Nawawi called Karpal “one of the best lawyers in the country” and a “well respected” parliamentarian.
“I will always respect him as a highly capable Member of a Parliament and he had also projected himself as a man of principle, integrity and courage with a noble constitutional spirit. His demise is a tremendous loss to all Malaysians,” he said.
Hours after Karpal died in a road accident on April 17 that also claimed the life of his aide and nurse, Michael Cornelius, Nawawi’s Facebook page featured a collage of the former DAP chairman’s bloodied body, coupled with an old news report quoting him as saying that an Islamic state would only be possible “over my dead body”.
“Would anyone like to take on Karpal Singh’s challenge? Please give your names. Hehe,” the post on Nawawi’s Facebook account read, right next to the collage.
Earlier today, Nawawi suggested on Facebook that he did not personally pen the provocative remark as he had several people who administered his social media account, but that he accepted “full responsibility”.
Nawawi, who is also the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) chairman, clarified to the press today that his social media account was private.
The federal lawmaker also said he was in his car when he made the Facebook post “without thinking of the consequences”.
Nawawi added that he deleted the post an hour later when he was strongly condemned on the social networking site.
Nawawi acknowledged that it was “unbecoming” and unacceptable for him, as an MP, to call for people to respond to Karpal's remark that an Islamic state would only be possible over his dead body.
He said he could not apologise yesterday as he was in Sarawak for a function and only returned to Kuala Lumpur today.
“I deeply regret for what has happened. I am so sorry. I know I hurt the feelings of many and I feel terrible about it. I promise to myself to be more cautious and careful on my future postings on my Facebook,” said Nawawi.