Despite falling from his wheelchair, DAP stalwart Karpal Singh still found room for a little humour.

karpal singh live bullet threat police report 200508 03 Speaking to reporters later, the Bukit Gelugor MP and veteran lawyer quipped: "Fortunately nothing happened to me. If there was, there'll be another by-election."

Karpal fell from his wheelchair when he was about to attend a hearing at the Kuantan High Court involving Pahang Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob and logging company Seruan Gemilang Makmur Sdn Bhd.

According to Bernama , the opposition politician, who was one of the lawyers representing the company, was initially carried by several aides up the stairs at the court complex with him remaining in the wheelchair.

As they made it to the first floor, they lost balance causing Karpal to fall onto the five-foot way.

Facilities for disabled needed

"It's time for us to have a good system with facilities for the disabled," said the DAP leader, adding that it was the first time he fell from the wheelchair.

His back hurts and at first, he said, it was hard to move his hands after the incident.

Karpal, 69, became wheelchair-bound after a road accident on the way home from the Bayan Lepas International Airport in Penang on Jan 29, 2005.

Today's court proceedings were to hear the menteri besar's application for a stay of execution of a RM63 million judgement in favour of Seruan Gemilang following a suit for a breach of agreement allegedly committed by the Pahang government.

In court, Karpal and co-counsel Rajoo D. Moothy asked Justice VT Singham for more time to reply to an affidavit filed by Adnan who was represented by lawyer Shafie Abdullah and state legal adviser Mat Zara'Ai Alias on Wednesday.

Following this, the court postponed the hearing to next Thursday.