Someone sent me an email earlier today, titled “A Joke”. I thought it was one of those emails meant for lunch time reading so I ignored it until, well, lunchtime! It turned out to be a short piece on a news conference by a businessman in Malaysia. His name is Soh Chee Wen. He’s sometimes referred to as John Soh. He had just been convicted of a crime a day earlier. A white collar, securities dealing related, crime but he is nonetheless, a convicted criminal. So what was the news conference about? He wanted to make a comeback, to the securities dealing scene no less. He wanted to get involved in M&A again. He said he doesn’t need money, saying all it takes is brains.  

I cannot understand Malaysia. I don’t get the press, especially. Maybe the article appeared in some gossip column, or showed up in some metro section. Maybe one of those free “news” papers distributed in train stations. In which case, the press is pretty impressive for picking up comic material, or saccharine society scum stories. Maybe the in house counsels of Malaysian news entities have come down so hard on its journalists that stories meant to criticize are masked as straightforward news reporting.  

Here was a man who illegally traded hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of shares. He virtually stole money to do it. Along with some other so called business leaders of Malaysia at that time, he helped sink an otherwise healthy securities dealing firm. Many employees of that firm lost money, some extensively, from stock options which became worthless. All lost their jobs. In other words, his crimes destroyed lives. Hundreds of them. That was over 10 years ago. After gallivanting around the world and escaping justice all these years, he goes back to Malaysia and was given a Six Million dollar (Malaysian) fine. It was an insulting slap on the wrist, for a ghastly crime. The employees of the firm Soh Chee Wen destroyed copped more punishment than him. That of course, is typical Malaysian justice and is itself another story.  

The salt on this wound is his threat to return. He was spared a prison term, something he richly deserved. Surely part of the deal he struck must include his total departure from the corporate scene? One can only speculate but is the Malaysian authorities stupid or corrupt? That has to be a rhetorical question, as all Malaysians know it is very likely both. For all his flaws, Soh Chee Wen appears to at least be honest. All it takes is brains? In his case, that penchant must be for criminal acts. Yes, it does take brains to steal in a big way, and not face the consequences. In many places other than Malaysia, it would have been – A Joke.