COMMENT Early in 1987 I was instructed by my then boss, Graeme Jenkins, who was the general manager of the New Zealand Press Association, to jump on a plane from Hong Kong, fly down to Penang and have a chat to this lawyer by the name of Karpal Singh.

I was under orders to cover the case of Lorraine and Aaron Cohen who were both from New Zealand and facing the death penalty for drug trafficking, under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. Karpal represented both the New Zealanders.

In the later part of 1987, Lorraine Cohen was sentenced to death and her son Aaron was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment, plus six strokes of whipping.

When I first met Karpal, I instantly liked this big, burly Sikh lawyer with the big belt. He liked a Tiger or two - so did I - and we got on well...