DAP chairperson Karpal Singh is expected to be warded for another month to undergo intensive treatment for severe spinal cord pain.

According to sources, the veteran politician, who was involved in a car accident in Penang last month, has been complaining of pain for the past few weeks.

"He is in pain whenever he moves his neck," said the source.

Karpal, who is also Bukit Gelugor MP and a prominent lawyer, is being treated at the Loh Guan Lye Specialist Centre

It is learnt that doctors are carrying out several tests to determine if the opposition leader needs to undergo surgery.

"If he can recover by having sufficient rest then Karpal may not need a surgery," said the source.

Too many visitors

Contacted later, DAP organising secretary Danny Law Heng Kiang confirmed that Karpal will have to undergo intensive treatment but declined to disclose any more details.

Following the Jan 28 accident, Karpal was initially treated at the Gleneagles Medical Centre but his family moved him to the specialist centre as too many people were visiting him.

"There were too many visitors and this was disrupting his recovery time table," said Law.

Meanwhile, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the party leadership has informed Karpal not to push himself too hard.

"The party is instructing our chairperson to take complete rest and recover fully because we need him fully fit for many more years," he told reporters after visiting Karpal recently.

ATHI VEERANGGAN is malaysiakini 's Penang-based stringer.