That's the Barisan Nasional (BN) government for you. All bully and bluster on the domestic scene, beating the people into submission with every weapon at its disposal - biased electoral system, bent judiciary, crooked police force, compliant media and all - and then, playing the victim on those rare occasions when the outside world can be bothered to comment on its activities.

That was Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s ploy throughout his 22-year premiership. He ruled the roost through the power of political patronage and corruption plus ham-fisted crackdowns like Ops Lalang , the sacking of top judges in 1988 and the show-trial of Anwar Ibrahim.