PMX, Vinod and The Obsession

They are now trying to link PMX to Vinod Sekhar, a self-proclaimed billionaire who has the misfortune of being sued, left, by ex-employees and, right, brought by foreign investors claiming he had conned them.

Their aim, of course, is to discredit PM Anwar Ibrahim or at least to ridicule him. But I won't rule out the possibility that they are also trying to assault Vinod Sekhar, a former bankrupt who has the distinction of being sued by Bruce Willis and Mel Gibson.

I don't know Vinod Sekhar personally but I know that he donated a pool table to the National Press Club. Last time I was there (I've been barred from entering the Club although I am still a member) the pool table was in good potting order.

I also know several fellow journalists who used to work with "his" portals have referred him to the Industrial Court for unpaid salaries. Now that, to me, if true, is low.

But as for his friendship with the PM, I can't care less, do you? People make claims they know the PM, this Minister and that, the King even. Some holy people claim they know God and therefore feel they can put their hands in the RM230 million jar (thank God we have MACC to strip them naked).

A couple of news portals have become obsessed, though. 

Malaysiakini's 'stalkers' recently "exposed" the digital traces of Vinod Sekhar's social media platforms to prove that Anwar and Vinod Sekhar were friends. And this they turned into a 'rotten narrative' to suit their own agenda.

They forget that the past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.

(Haha, KJ also commented, also rumors that he was involved in a game with Vinod)

The alleged friendship was framed on photographs Vinod Sekhar posted on his social media in May 2018. Anwar was not even PM then and many of us thought he would never be PM.

Just so you all know (especially for rookie journalists who rarely go out into the field these days) Vinod Sekhar also boasted about his deep and true friendship with other politicians, including Muhyiddin Yasin and Pak Lah! And this guy was also cigar buddies with Cuban strongman Fidel Castro himself, if you believe every word out there. 

So my advice to rookie reporters who hardly go out to the field these days: don't take social media as the gospel truth, go back to good old journalism and double check your facts. 

Look, I don't doubt Anwar and Vinod knew each other and that they may even have regarded each other as friends at one time. Vinod, after all, is known to idolise Anwar, just like Rafizi Ramli used to. But to try and link him to the RM30 million lawsuit brought against Vinod Sekhar by a group of multinational gullible is not just low but lazy as well.

To me, who the PM's friends are does not matter (I know I will never be his friend not will he be mine). As long as the PM does not enrich his friends (and relatives) by awarding them multi-million projects, like some past prime ministers did, I am OK.