'He who is deaf, blind and silent will live a hundred years in peace'.

So says a Sicilian proverb. Not surprisingly, it's the Italian Mafia which has perfected the culture of 'omerta' a code of silence which protects crime bosses from the long arm of the law.

For the Mafia, breaking the 'omerta' is punishable by death. In Malaysia, it's done with a little more finesse, but is no less effective.

Here, anyone who breaks this code faces the dreaded 'cold storage' treatment where a person is suspended - unofficially - from his or her job.

Mohamad Ramli Abdul Manan has paid that price dearly. Despite being one of the most senior officers in the Anti-Corruption Agency, he was without a desk - let alone an office - for six years until his retirement.