Chua Tian Chang

Early life

Born in Melaka on 21 December 1963, he was the eldest of four siblings. His father, Chua Neo Lai, 71, is of Hakka descent and was a rice wholesaler. His late mother, Chan Yuet Chien, was a Chinese schoolteacher. Chua was educated in Siang Lin Primary School and Malacca Catholic High School. He then studied Lower Six in Gajah Berang High School. In 1982, Tian went to continue his studies in Australia. He first studied Matriculation in South Sydney High School. After completing HSC, he got admitted into Agricultural Science in Sydney University. He said:

But in his third year, he switched to Philosophy at the University of New South Wales. Australia in the 1980s was a hotbed for student activists. "My father had hoped I'd study law for good future prospects. But I became exposed to peace movements, environmental issues, and human rights situations around the world". He became an active student leader and was involved in student movement under the Network of Overseas Student Collectives (NOSCA) and Left Alliance. His mates included Steven Gan and Premesh Chandran, co-founders of news website Malaysiakini. Together, they protested against the imposition of university fees on foreign students started by Bob Hawke's administration in 1985. Chua had his first taste of arrest when he was locked up after a demonstration in Sydney. He was also recruited by East Timor then leader-in-exile, now president Ramos Horta to help prepare newsletters.

Early career

Upon returning to Malaysia in 1990, he joined SUARAM in the campaign against Internal Security Act (ISA). He also began to get involved in the labour movement in Malaysia. In 1992, he joined Hong Kong-based Asia Monitor Resource Center (AMRC), a regional labour research NGO.

After his contract in Hong Kong ended, he went for further studies in the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in The Hague, The Netherlands. He graduated with Masters in Employment & Labour Studies. Tian again returned to Malaysia in 1996 and continued to pursue a trail of life as social activist.

In 1997, Tian was appointed the director of Labour Resource Centre (LRC). The centre was found in 1990 by a group of trade unionists and labour activists. He was also in the Board of Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM).

In 1998, SUARAM initiated a forum comprised NGOs and opposition parties known as Gagasan Demokrasi Rakyat Malaysia. The forum was officially launched during the saga of Anwar Ibrahim and Reformasi. Tian was elected the chairperson of the movement.

Detention under ISA

Chua was involved with the Reformasi movement in Malaysia in 1999 due to the sacking of Anwar Ibrahim as Deputy Prime Minister. He became famous when images of him sitting defiantly in front of a police water cannon truck were splashed across the global media during the height of the movement.

Between 27 and 30 September 1999, Tian Chua and six other activists, including Keadilan leaders; Youth leader Mohd Ezam Mohd Nor, Mohamed Azmin Ali and Dr Badrul Amin Baharun; were arrested and as a result prevented from contesting in the 1999 general elections. Further arrests were made on 10 April 2001 and those arrested were subsequently charged and incarcerated under the Internal Security Act. They became known as the Reformasi 10.

At the Kamunting detention camp, Chua kept himself busy by dabbling in his love for drawing and painting. He drew the insects that entered his cell and made over 100 Hari Raya and Chinese New Year cards for friends and family. He had much time to read (including heavy tomes like Homer's Iliad, and learnt Thai, Norwegian, Arabic, French and Sanskrit, which he has mostly forgotten now. anan Chua spent two years in detention under the Internal Security Act and numerous times in police lock-ups for championing various causes since 1996.

Political involvement

In 1999, Tian Chua was invited to join the newly founded Parti Keadilan Nasional headed by Dr Wan Azizah. He was then elected the national vice-president. In 2004, KeADILan merged with Parti Rakyat Malaysia and formed Parti Keadilan Rakyat. Tian was appointed the Information Chief, a post held until today.

He has manned the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) service centre in the heart of Sentul since it was opened in 2004.

In the 2008 general election, Tian Chua contested in the Batu parliamentary constituency in Kuala Lumpur and won, defeating Barisan Nasional's Lim Si Pin (son of former national president of Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Lim Keng Yaik) with a 9,455 majority. Tian Chua won for the second time in the Batu, Kuala Lumpur for the 2013 general election defeating Barisan Nasional's Dominic Lau Hoe Chai with 13,284 majority.

Areas that come under his Batu constituency include Sentul. The constituency has the most Projek Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) public housing apartments and one of the highest rates of petty crime in the city.

Now that he is a lawmaker himself, Tian Chua has pledged not to change his ways:

I'm not changing my approach. My responsibility is to voice out and if there is something that needs me to, I will do it.

In popular culture

In 2009, Tian Chua took the lead role in a science fiction short film titled One Future, which depicted Malaysia as an Orwellian dystopia. The character's fate at the hands of the authorities in the film mirrors aspects of Tian Chua's own public life.

Parliamentarian and use of social media

Tian Chua tweets regularly and uses the social media to advocate his thoughts and beliefs.

Attacking and insulting policemen

In a 2009 demonstration in front of the parliament, Chua allegedly bit a policeman on his arm and said to have caused injuries. He was charged for causing hurt and obstructing a civil servant from doing his duty. He was charged under Section 332 of the Penal Code and can be jailed up to three years or fine or both if convicted.

In 2014, Chua insult a policeman in front of a hotel where he was then charged and ordered by the court to pay a total of RM3,000 for the damages he caused and facing risks being disqualified from contesting in the next elections following his conviction.

Accusation of sedition

Following the 2013 Lahad Datu standoff, Chua commenting through his Twitter hinted that the country standoff with the defunct-Sultanate of Sulu throne claimants followers from the southern Philippines was staged by the Malaysian ruling government party of United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), where he was then heavily criticised by the party politicians as well the public for his lacking of "sensitiveness" on the issue. Chua was then asked by UMNO to withdraw his defamation remarks although he refused which led the case being brought to court. Through his defence statement in court, he denied making defamation words towards the party.

In 2014, Chua agreed to withdraw his remarks, where the charges towards him was dropped soon thereafter. Attempts to appeal the case by the prosecution went unheeded by the court and he was finally cleared of sedition charge in 2016.