There is continuing evidence that some of Malaysia’s State rulers are stuck in a past when they could mistreat any resident of their State that they felt like punishing.

The latest example of this blindness to the modern world comes from the Sultan of Kelantan who has “revoked” an award to former PM Mahathir. The latter’s “offence” appears to be that the Doctor is leading a campaign in GE14 aimed, among other things, at removing a mega criminal, Najib Razak, from office.

A wiser head would have waited to see the election result before throwing a childish tantrum of this kind. The constitutional position of the Rulers is shaky enough as it is without adding further absurdities to reinforce a change to republican status.

It is unlikely that this Sultan can recover public respect but he might make a start by a public apology.