CIMB Group chairperson Nazir Razak will be on leave and the lyrics of the song ‘He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother’ will be humming in his mind.

The song, popularised by The Hollies, is a music ballad written by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell.

Originally recorded by Kelly Gordon in 1969, the song became a worldwide hit for The Hollies later that year and again for Neil Diamond in 1970.

Little did Nazir realise that helping to redistribute the RM28 million for his elder brother Najib would lead him to “the road is long... with many a winding turn, that leads us to who knows where...”

This is also what Malaysians are asking daily. Where is this 1MDB episode going to end?

To clear himself, Nazir admitted that he had helped his brother distribute the funds - a move that surprised many Malaysians. Since becoming CIMB chairperson in 2014, Nazir has been critical of state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and his brother’s administration, often airing his views on Instagram. And he was applauded by Malaysians for his stand against any form of abuse of 1MDB funds.

But where will 1MDB lead Najib? As the song’s lyrics continue, “Who knows where... But I’m strong... strong enough to carry him.” So Nazir goes on leave humming “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother...”

The 1MDB is a “long, long road from which there is no return...” the song continues.

And, “the load doesn’t weigh” Nazir down at all cause “He ain’t heavy he’s my brother...”

“There is no other time my brother asked for this favour,” he said at a briefing, referring to a question if there were other transactions he made for his brother, Najib.

“My brother asked for some help and I agreed after assessing that it does not involve anything illegal or misusing of my position at CIMB or any inappropriate use of CIMB resources,” Nazir said at a press conference on Monday.

“I feel that unless I’m completely absent from the company during this period, this institution would not be practising the highest standards of corporate governance.”

Again, Malaysians will appreciate his honesty and forthrightness in stepping aside for any investigations to be conducted on his actions and if it has affected the corporate governance of CIMB.

The moral of the story is spelled out in the closing lines of the song: “He’s my brother... He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother... He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.”

Sometimes in life, difficult decisions have to be made, and obviously he nor Najib expected that they would be dragged in the open “through the long and winding road.”

M KRISHNAMOORTHY is an international freelance journalist for several foreign television networks and newspapers. He is also a trainer in Media Relations and Crisis Communications. He has worked as a senior writer for The Star (15 years) and the New Straits Times (11 years).