In the report Fugitive businessman Soh returns to face charges (May 14), Soh Chee Wen denied that there were any negotiations and settlements with the authorities for his return. For the time being, I suppose we have to take his word for it.

Still, it is extraordinary that since the warrant of arrest was issued on Soh April 15, 1999, he was able to continue to conduct his business abroad without hindrance from Interpol, and when he finally returned in style — through the VIP lounge, no less — it was done with fanfare befitting a rock star celebrity with about 100 supporters and well-wishers (one of whom even swooned) and police escort to the Shah Alam Sessions Court got ready to hear within two hours of his arraignment of formal charges!

As extraordinary as it is comical, one of the reasons for his return besides his "confidence in the judiciary" was this ostensible desire to "eat some fish head curry" since the ones overseas were different from the local styles.

Soh denied there was any pun or double-meaning intended in his desire for eating 'fish head' as against MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik's reference to the dish to describe MCA's problems. Even if an analogy was used, alas in the Byzantine politics of MCA, which of the 'heads' will be eaten is the big question. Is the timing of his return coincidental or otherwise, seeing that the architect of the MCA peace plan is conveniently out of this country to win friends in the US?

Whatever, even in the worst-case scenario of the charges sticking, Soh has consolation that by way of judicial precedent, his alleged abettor, TA Enterprise Bhd's executive chairperson Tony Tiah, escaped custodial sentence and was fined only RM3 million when he pleaded guilty to submitting a false report to KLSE on transactions involving more than 35 million of Omega Holdings shares (New Straits Times, May 15).

Can we then fault people for thinking that white-collar crimes sometimes pay? There is this perversity among many who even admire the corporate high flyers for being able to circumvent and defeat the system and get away with much in financial terms at minimum costs. There seems to be some glamour in committing crimes through wiles and brains and seizing loopholes in the corporate and financial system.