An EPF spokesman, referring to the EPF investment in the London Battersea Power Station project spoke about it being a long term asset hold. In other words, having paid well over the odds, no profit can be expected for some years; if ever.

That, no doubt, seems a sensible thing to someone investing other people’s money. Any loss is their loss, not his.

By the same token the EPF should be looking around the world for people selling gold bricks composed of concrete with a gilt skin. There will be no lack of offers to sell.

Or maybe, for Malaysian contributors at least, a harder look at the jobs on offer in the Press. “Inexperienced mug wanted for selling scams”