COMMENT Observing Malaysian politics is like watching Nicol David, the Malaysian who is seven times World Champion in women's squash, contesting the strategic ‘T position' in the centre of court. The squash contest is usually focused, fast, furious and exciting.

In Malaysian politics, the contest for the T-position is generally slow and often unpredictable. But as in squash, it is also highly exciting; it involves the ruling coalition and its supporters, the opposition and its supporters, those sitting on the fence, as well as civil society and extremist groups...