I consider him my senior and friend as we used to work together for a while before he joined the team of DS Najib Razak.
At that time Najib was not yet a PM.
I have always respect him for being a good and honest guy.
Occasionally he would call me out for lunch just to chit chat.
I never call him out. He is married and a very busy man.
It was very nice of him to find time to see me as I know that he keeps a tight schedule.
Furthermore, I'm just his junior and of no rank and stature.
As usual, we talked about our life and of course politics.
I can't tell you all in detail what we talked about as far as politics were concerned.
A lot of classified information.
Suffice to say that as always, he defended his boss against all those criticisms directed at the PM.
I know that he genuinely believes in Najib and had defended him not because he wanted to score brownie points.
After all, I am not one of those people who keep track of brownie points scored by people for praising and defending Najib.
When I told him that I know of a plan by some of his colleagues to kick him out of the PMO, he just laughed and told me that he was aware of it too.
"I am ready for that. If they ask me to leave, I will go. My conscience is clear as I have tried my best for Najib all these years. What ever happened, I still believe my boss is a kind hearted man who on his part is trying his best for this country," he said.
The guy is really sincere.
After all, I know that he is not rich despite working as a close aide of Najib for so many years.
He just works for his salary and nothing else.
Then the conversation turned something like this:
PMO guy: "How about you? How's your life?"
Me: My life sucks.
PMO guy: Why? What's wrong?
Me: It sucks because I don't really have a life except my work. And my work sucks too.
PMO guy: You seem to be doing well at work. I keep track of your work. It's quite okay.
Me: That's what you see. What you don't see is something else.
PMO guy: Tell me what's wrong. I know your big boss. Maybe I can help you.
Me: It's okay. I will try to handle it myself. If I can't stand it anymore, I will just fucking suicide bomb all those fuckers in my office.
PMO guy: Eh, don't talk like that lah. You are crazy or what? Just tell me what's wrong.
Me: I just hate the fucking bullies in my office. They enjoy bullying their subordinates by humiliating the poor bastards in the office wassap group. It's as fucking bad as humiliating someone in public.
PMO guy: Have they ever done that to you?
Me: Not yet, but I am waiting for it. I really going to suicide bomb those fucking bastards if they do that to me. I'm not their fucking slave.
PMO guy: Hush! Stop talking like that okay. Try to relax. People may think that you are an Islamic State terrorist for real. Come on, I will try to help you, okay.
Me: No need lah. I know you are too busy to care for my little nonsense. Najib needs all the help that he can get now. You better be focused on helping him...and try not to get kicked out of PMO. Najib needs all his good people....instead of all those asshole opportunists hanging around him now.
PMO guy: Okay...but do tell me if they disturb you. I will try to work out something. Don't go around suicide bombing people, okay.
Me: Okay....
PMO guy: You have enough money? I mean...last time I met you, you said you were broke.
Me: Could be better. Those fucking bastards gave me a lousy annual assessment that day despite me working my ass off last year. Now, I got just pittance for my bonus. They should have shove it up their arse instead. Real fucking pricks.
PMO guy: Relax, don't lose your temper.
Me: Okay....I will try to fucking chill....
PMO guy: Can I give you some money...I want to help.
Me: No. You try to give me money again and I will really kick your ass.
The conversation went on something like that for almost two hours.
It was actually nice having someone listening to my nonsensical troubles.
I know the guy can't help me, but still I appreciate his friendship.
Well, good luck to him and his Najib.
I think both guys need a lot of luck.