It was a pre-New Year's reunion dinner of my old posse, consisting of politicians, a former monk-turned-qi-gong instructor, journalists, activists and Debbie the junta-slayer.

By the time dessert arrived, the conversation turned, predictably, to the politics-of-the-day from the once-mighty's wearing new robes of NGO activism to the now-mighty consolidating their stocks and shares.

Then there was the case of the late Mr M Moorthy, and Colin had the last words.

"What did they (Federal Territory Islamic Religious Affairs Council) win? A body or soul?"

The answer to this question is obvious.