Ramkarpal describes moments before crash

KAMPAR: Ramkarpal Singh, 38, a witness in the trial of the driver of former DAP chairman Karpal Singh, said he jumped from his seat and lunged towards his father’s seat seconds before the Toyota Alphard was involved in a collision with a lorry.
He said this under cross-examination by Baljit Singh, counsel for the driver C. Selvam, 27, an Indian national who is charged under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for dangerous and reckless driving at the Kampar magistrate’s court here.
In February during the trial at the same court he had repeated the testimony when questioned by DPP Yusaini Amer Abdul Karim.
The Bukit Gelugor MP said: “I was looking at my handphone and ironically looked up and front to see and was shocked to see our vehicle was going into a lorry.
“I screamed and immediately jumped from my seat behind the driver and moved forward to grab the shoulder of my father who was seated on the front passenger seat.
“I had to kneel down and I was shielded by the chair...the front passenger seat was pushed behind to become the rear seat upon impact of the crash.”
Ramkarpal demonstrated to magistrate Mohamad Ibrahim Mohammad Gulam as to how he had jumped forward to Karpal’s seat.
He also demonstrated with two toys how the MPV was behind the lorry before the crash.
“We were going into the lorry at a fast speed and too close and I screamed.”
Karpal and his personal assistant Michael Cornelius, 39, also an Indian national, died on the spot after their vehicle was involved in a collision with a lorry at Km306.1 of the north bound lane of the North South Expressway at 1.10am on April 17, 2014.
The maid Selfiana Rengga, 26, was seriously injured while Selvam and Ramkarpal sustained minor injuries.