The late DAP leader Karpal Singh's battle against the notorious colonial law on sedition will be resurrected at a forum on 'Sedition Act and Human Rights' organised by the Penang Bar Committee on April 18.

The forum, to be held at Dewan Sri Pinang from 9am, is being supported by the Penang government and Penang Institute.

Organised to honour Karpal on his first death anniversary, speakers at the event include Queen's Counsel Mark Trowell, retired Court of Appeal judge Mahadev Shanker, Malaysian Bar president Steven Thiru and former Bar presidents Ambiga Sreenevasan and Christopher Leong.

Penang Bar Committee chairperson Shyama Nair ( left ) said the forum was being organised to remember the spirit of Karpal as a lawyer.

"He was here, and is now gone... what he embodied as a lawyer should live on and should inspire people to stand for what they believe in, to fight for what they believe in," Shyama said at a press conference today.

"Throughout his life, Karpal handled done cases that nobody thought they could fight or win. But he did, and win as well," she added.

Karpal died in a tragic accident along the North-South Expressway, near Kampar in Perak, on April 17.

He was convicted of sedition for questioning the royalty in Perak and was fined RM4,000 before his shocking death.

Penang Bar Committee organising co-chair Ranjit Singh said Karpal wore many hats in his life, as a lawyer, politician, husband and father, but the forum is to commemorate him as lawyer.

"He is Penang born and bred. We do not know if, and when, another Karpal will come along our way again," Ranjit said.

The forum will be an inaugural event and it is planned to be held annually, with this first forum discussing the Sedition Act within the framework of human rights and the Federal Constitution.

After the forum, he said, the Penang Bar would forward the views presented to the Malaysian Bar.