Tian Chua - a cherry blossom?

"If someone asks about the spirit of kamikaze, it is the Tian Chua of PKR that is flagrant in the party’s setting sun"

- paraphrasing a poem by (and with apologies) to Mootori Norinaga

Tian Chua, Tian Chua!

Like a kamikaze pilot, he knows only one course, towards the enemy (whoever that might be), without any care that there's no fuel for his return for he doesn’t need to return, hurling towards his ultimate sacrifice, for a cause already lost.

Last week malaysiakini reported Anwar Ibrahim demanding DPM Najib Razak explain a claim by prosecution witness Burmaa Oyunchimeg - that she was shown a photo by the late Altantuyaa Shaariibuu which included a Malaysian officer called Najib Razak together with Altantuyaa and Razak Baginda. But Burmaa did not produce the photo for the court.

I blogged on this in O Tian Chua, what have you done! where I also related that Malaysia’s foremost wannabe martyr compensated for the lack of damning evidence (for Najib) by doctoring a photo showing the alleged threesome having a French dinner. The lady in Tian Chua's photo was also rather well endowed, designed, I suppose, to titillate viewers.

Despite all pretences, denials and lawyer burok-ish (barrack room) arguments by Tian's supporters, there wasn’t any doubt in the minds of Malaysians that the woman in Tian's doctored photo, and posted on his blog, represented Altantuyaa. There wasn’t also any doubt that Tian had implied Najib Razak knew Altantuyaa despite the DPM’s denial.

In fact Tian admitted he created the photo.

Tian is known for his recklessness but the doctored photo exceeded even his normal martyr-ish antics. He did some damage control in a following posting the next day, realising the enormity of his blunder.

It wasn’t just slander with a libel suit hanging over his head like the sword of Damocles – worse, it provided Najib and UMNO with the wherewithal to counter-attack and distract from an embarrassingly seething simmering smoking situation for Najib.

Well, trust Tian Chua to blunder impetuously with the insinuation backfiring on him and his PKR. Sleazy, grubby and unethical were the words used to describe Tian's crazy tactic. Suddenly Najib and UMNO were on high moral grounds.

You’ll never catch the DAP indulging in such salacious stupid and slanderous excesses.

But then Tian Chua being Tian Chua, no one had expected him to apologise (despite the wee backpedalling the day following the silly posting). In fact when AFP interviewed him, he was gleefully back in his element, stating (as reported by malaysiakini):

"This photo is just my imagination. It is aimed to push Najib to explain his link in the case. I will not withdraw the photo or apologise."

"I want the authorities to handle the case in a transparent way and for Najib to reveal his relations with Altantuya."

The difference between a martyr and a wannabe martyr is the former is prepared to be crucified for his beliefs, while the latter just wants to be crucified, full stop!

Banzai, Tian Chua ;-)

*** *** ***

Mootori Norinaga’s original poem as adopted by the Japanese Kamikaze Special Attack Force:

"Shikishima no Yamato-gokoro wo hito towaba, asahi ni niou yamazakura bana"

"If someone asks about the spirit of Japan, it is the flowers of mountain cherry blossom that are fragrant in the rising sun"