Lawyer G Balasundram, the “ de facto legal consultant” for Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), has died after he was attacked by four men armed with knives just as he arrived home from office in Ipoh yesterday evening, Bernama reported the police saying today.

G Balasundram, PSM lawyer murdered According to the news agency, Perak deputy chief police officer Zakaria Yusof said Balasundram, 57, was attacked at his house in Desa Rishah at about 6pm and died at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital at 9pm.

"As the lawyer ( right ) alighted from the car upon reaching home, four men armed with knives attacked him. The lawyer, who was badly injured, fell to the ground," he said.

Zakaria said the four men then fled on two motorcycles and Balasunderam's wife, L Puspha, 48, rushed her husband to hospital.

He said police were investigating the motive for the attack and appealed to eye-witnesses to contact the Ipoh police headquarters at 05-2451 222.

Champion of the poor

Meanwhile PSM deputy secretary general Rani Rasiah expressed shock and grief over the death of Balasundram, who actively helped PSM in legal matters and court battles.

“Just a day earlier, he had turned up at the Ipoh High Court as co-counsel with Vengkat, his soul buddy, to appeal the conviction of four activists, including Segar of PSM, who had gathered with hundreds of others to demand the relocation of a rubber factory that was polluting the Kuala Kuang New Village in Chemor,” said Rani in a statement this evening.

NONE “Bala was involved in many legal battles fought between poor, oppressed communities on the one hand and developers or the government on the other.

“PSM had virtually claimed Bala for our own, endlessly taking him away from his paying cases to do our pro-bono cases. He has worked round the clock, giving his best,...” she said.

Rani detailed the many cases taken on by the deceased, adding that he “had no illusions about the Malaysian judiciary, and often groused about it”.

Amongst the cases that Balasundram had undertaken in defence of the poor, were those against, the government, or plantation companies or developers.

For example, he was involved in a case of a small businessman facing eviction by rail conglomerate MMC Gamuda, and was PSM’s counsel for the election petition filed by then Sg Siput parliamentary candidate Kumar Devaraj, challenging the 1999 general elections result for that constituency

“No one is indispensable we often hear, but for the PSM and the marhein, Bala is indispensable. And if not for the escalating lawlessness in this country, Bala would still be with us today,” she added.