OPINION | First, she’s shocked to receive millions. Then she decides not to tell her husband
14 Mar 2026 • 6:00 PM MYT
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Fa Abdul
FA ABDUL is a former columnist of Malaysiakini & Free Malaysia Today (FMT)
Photo credit: Kosmo!
Let’s keep it simple.
You introduce a friend to your husband.
Maybe your friend wants advice. Maybe she wants a contact. Maybe she just wants to say hello. Happens all the time. People introduce friends to spouses, cousins, bosses, doctors, mechanics. Malaysia practically runs on introductions.
“Eh, my husband works in insurance, maybe he can help you.”
“My cousin is a contractor, you can ask him about your renovation.”
“My neighbour sells durian, I introduce you. Maybe you can get a discount.”
All normal. No drama.
Now imagine something slightly less normal.
A few days later, that same friend transfers a huge sum of money into your bank account.
At this point, most normal human beings would have one very simple, immediate question.
“Eh… why are you paying me ah?”
Because introducing people to your husband is not exactly a billable service.
Nobody sends invoices like: Introduction to Husband - RM2.8 million
Unless, of course, there’s some very exclusive membership package us ordinary Malaysians didn’t get the memo about.
The drama of Bung Moktar’s widow
Recently, Bung Moktar Radin’s widow, Zizie Izette Abdul Samad, testified in her graft trial. She said she was shocked to receive millions in “fees” from mutual fund agents for introducing them to her husband.
Zizie explained that it was not unusual for people to want to meet her husband - he was charismatic, famous, political - the usual.
When asked why someone would pay a “fee” for a friendly introduction, Zizie shrugged and said the prosecution should ask the agent.
She also said she questioned where the money came from before deciding to accept it.
Most Malaysians would agree, this is not how human curiosity works.
When someone gives you money for something you never charged for, the first question is not about the source of the money. It’s about the reason for the payment.
Introducing friends to family members is not exactly a commission-based profession. We do it out of courtesy. Out of friendship. Because someone asked.
And if someone suddenly transferred millions to you, most of us would probably go straight to our spouse and ask, “Why ah? I just introduced them to you, why so much money?”
But not Zizie. She says she never told her late husband about the funds, because they managed their finances separately.
Er… reminds me of a certain former minister who once said, “We sleep in the same bed, but we don’t talk business.” Yeah, same energy. Nothing says marital bliss like a strict no-finance policy under the covers.
Somehow, a supposedly “friendly introduction” turned into millions in her account, with no one asking the obvious question: WHY.
I don’t know about y'all, but when I’m offered a sudden windfall, I step back. I ask questions. I raise an eyebrow. Because nothing in life comes free. When it does… you can bet something is seriously off.
And in this case, something does feel seriously off.
Let’s keep it simple.
You introduce a friend to your husband.
Maybe your friend wants advice. Maybe she wants a contact. Maybe she just wants to say hello. Happens all the time. People introduce friends to spouses, cousins, bosses, doctors, mechanics. Malaysia practically runs on introductions.
“Eh, my husband works in insurance, maybe he can help you.”
“My cousin is a contractor, you can ask him about your renovation.”
“My neighbour sells durian, I introduce you. Maybe you can get a discount.”
All normal. No drama.
Now imagine something slightly less normal.
A few days later, that same friend transfers a huge sum of money into your bank account.
At this point, most normal human beings would have one very simple, immediate question.
“Eh… why are you paying me ah?”
Because introducing people to your husband is not exactly a billable service.
Nobody sends invoices like: Introduction to Husband - RM2.8 million
Unless, of course, there’s some very exclusive membership package us ordinary Malaysians didn’t get the memo about.
The drama of Bung Moktar’s widow
Recently, Bung Moktar Radin’s widow, Zizie Izette Abdul Samad, testified in her graft trial. She said she was shocked to receive millions in “fees” from mutual fund agents for introducing them to her husband.
Zizie explained that it was not unusual for people to want to meet her husband - he was charismatic, famous, political - the usual.
When asked why someone would pay a “fee” for a friendly introduction, Zizie shrugged and said the prosecution should ask the agent.
She also said she questioned where the money came from before deciding to accept it.
Most Malaysians would agree, this is not how human curiosity works.
When someone gives you money for something you never charged for, the first question is not about the source of the money. It’s about the reason for the payment.
Introducing friends to family members is not exactly a commission-based profession. We do it out of courtesy. Out of friendship. Because someone asked.
And if someone suddenly transferred millions to you, most of us would probably go straight to our spouse and ask, “Why ah? I just introduced them to you, why so much money?”
But not Zizie. She says she never told her late husband about the funds, because they managed their finances separately.
Er… reminds me of a certain former minister who once said, “We sleep in the same bed, but we don’t talk business.” Yeah, same energy. Nothing says marital bliss like a strict no-finance policy under the covers.
Somehow, a supposedly “friendly introduction” turned into millions in her account, with no one asking the obvious question: WHY.
I don’t know about y'all, but when I’m offered a sudden windfall, I step back. I ask questions. I raise an eyebrow. Because nothing in life comes free. When it does… you can bet something is seriously off.
And in this case, something does feel seriously off.
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