COMMENT Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s petulant streak has not cost him dear the way it has other politicians.

Usually, the tendency to fly off the handle, as Mahathir periodically does, will push a politician to retractions and about-turns to salvage his or her public ratings as adverse reaction laps about them.

But not where this physician-politician is concerned.

‘Never apologise, never explain’, a piece of tough-minded advice of uncertain provenance, does help to explain Mahathir’s style...