Of fair weather friends and scapegoats

Lament on friendship: A screen shot of the Najib’s Facebook post uploaded on the day the former PM was directed to enter his defence in several court cases relating to the 1MDB financial scandal.

“NOW only he knows,” a political operative texted me after a message appeared on former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s Facebook page about “true friends”.

The post, written by Najib we assume, states that it is hard to find true friends, especially those willing to stand by you in times of trouble.

The imprisoned former prime minister noted that many individuals are fair weather friends, only there when times are good and putting on a facade.

“Life is full of lessons. In today’s challenging times, there are also moments of sweetness and appreciation,” he wrote on Oct 30.

On that day, the High Court ordered Najib to enter his defence in four cases involving allegations of using his position to elicit bribes of nearly RM2.3bil from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds and 21 charges of money laundering related to the same amount.

The political operative elaborated that Najib now knows who his real friends are. He meant that if the former PM thought his friends in high places would “lepas” (release) him from his court troubles, he was misled into believing them.

To get further insight into the matter, I contacted an orang lama (veteran) familiar with all things Najib.

He cautioned me about assuming that Najib thought those in high places had shown their true selves to the former Umno president. “Never assume beyond what is said,” he said.

The orang lama pointed out that this was politics. “In politics, people do not come out in the open. Seldom – in politics – do people do things in the open,” he said.

In politics, he explained, it is prudent for you to know what to conceal and what to reveal. It is equally prudent to know when to conceal and when to reveal, he said.

“The rules in politics are different from those in other aspects of life, especially concerning friendships and support. This is because of the elements of risk and danger. One should always manage risks properly and avoid unnecessary danger,” the orang lama said.

“Only the naive will play the fool’s game in this respect. That is when, to be honest, some philosophers say honesty is a fool’s game. To know what and when to conceal is a wise game. It is stated in The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene.”

The 48 Laws of Power (1998) is about tactics, concepts, and lessons which successfully create or maintain power. “Sup-ported with stories from history, both modern and ancient, from the most powerful people and empires which have ever existed, each chapter is crammed page to page with value,” says Amazon.com.

The number three law is “Conceal Your Intentions”. “Always lead people astray when it comes to your intentions. Ensure they don’t realise your plans too soon. They may react to your plans and thwart them,” Greene advises.

I like law number two: “Never Put Too Much Trust in Friends, Learn How to Use Enemies”. “Friends are likely to be envious and betray you. The best thing is to hire your enemy, as they will try to prove they are trustworthy,” the author writes.

Another favourite is law 14: “Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy”. “Pretend to be friends with someone to get close to them and learn their secrets. Then use that information against them,” Greene writes.

On an unrelated note, I like law 40 too: “Despise the Free Lunch”. “Don’t accept things that people give to you for free. People will think they have power over you if you do. You won’t be able to exert your authority as easily,” advises Greene.

Nowadays, I am not impressed when a contact takes me out for an omakase lunch or wagyu steak dinner. I would rather pay for my lunch and eat alone.

The orang lama is sure many of Najib’s supporters are still with him. But not in the open. They are there silently, for that is how politics is.

“Many of his close friends conceal their support. Some of his sympathisers chose to reveal or conceal their grievances,” he said.

“If it is a normal person, he does not need to take political risks and reveal anything.”

Talking of friends, the orang lama asked: “Shouldn’t Najib also ask why Jho Low didn’t come forward and stand by him in times of trouble? Jho Low gained the most compared with others,” he said.

As Greene states in law 26: “Keep Your Hands Clean”. “Don’t get your hands dirty with the nitty-gritty details of power. Let others or scapegoats do the work for you. This way, you can distance yourself from any blame,” he writes.

Now, who is the scapegoat?