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Deputy inspector-general of police tells the media, Don't make Elie Yousef Najem a hero . In tandem with this, police arrested him yesterday.

To be sure, there are many Elie Yousef Najems out there in our society, many of whom are still maintaining some respectability out of being not publicly exposed. These people maintain a facade of financial probity by driving around in luxurious cars (even though the cars are not theirs or are in default of hire purchase payments).

They boast that they have assets or business or political connections that they don't actually have. If they have some money, they would buy their doctorate degrees and if possible, a datukship to enhance their personal prestige.

To what end? It is to impress and to give confidence to others so that the latter would provide the requisite commercial advantage if not part with their funds. These confidence tricksters would renege on their financial, business and borrowing commitments; they would make representations in their commercial contracts which are untrue and inaccurate.

What is the worst fate then that would befall the confidence tricksters when found out? They are often sued in the civil courts by the victims for the obligation reneged, the misrepresentation made and they are sometimes made insolvent and bankrupt as a result of these proceedings. They are seldom prosecuted in the criminal courts for fraud or cheating.

If you were to look at all the commercial agreements disputed and litigated upon in the courts, about 90 percent of the parties sued for breach may, on closer examination, have misrepresented with an intent to take advantage of the aggrieved party.

What is the difference then between these breakers of commercial and business promises and Elie Yousef Najem? It is extremely hard to ascertain a difference from the strict standpoint of principle. The only difference if any is the comparative audacity and scale of Elie Yousef Najem's claims and their attendant publicity especially when relied upon by some important persons holding official positions who are made to look gullible and naive that's all.

These may be unethical practices but in Bolehland it is not necessarily considered a crime, and it is strange that a foreign Lebanese, acting like many Malaysian businessmen, and subject to same set of laws, should be held to higher standard of accountability, tantamount to crime, just because he has the audacity to make a high profile, untenable and preposterous claim of being the third wealthiest person in the world, a Canadian lord and a funder of Penang Bridge in the face of the most obvious contradiction and doubt cast by the works and health ministers.

To be sure, Elie Yousef Najem is not a hero because there is no moral dimension to his unauthenticated claims and posturing contradicted by allegations of detractors. There is only sheer audacity which excesses border on the preposterous. Whether he is a hero or an anti-hero deserving of fame or infamy, the fact is Elie Yousef Najem is news. Mere media focus is not a suggestion that we should emulate him as role model of a hero.

To the extent that the repeated coverage of the case highlights our vulnerabilities and warns us to be careful in our dealings, it may even serve public good. I certainly look forward to hearing more of this interesting character in tomorrow's news.

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