As if Barisan Nasional hadn’t done the nation enough damage by corrupting and co-opting civil institutions like the police, judiciary and press, now it has apparently decided to involve the Agong in its sordid political game.

The speech that the BN government gave Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin to read at the opening of the third session of the 12th parliament on Monday was a flagrant abuse of the constitutional monarchy that Malaysia is supposed to be.