Registrar of Societies (ROS) Mohd Alias Kalil stirred up nationwide contempt when he threatened Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM), an environmental protection NGO, with deregistration on Monday.

Mohd Alias said the NGO could be penalised if he had proof it was acting “against the nation’s interests”. However, he conceded that he had never received a single official complaint against SAM.

His remarks drew angry taunts that his office was allowing itself to be used as a tool of the ruling political elite , and was attempting to intimidate SAM and other NGOs into obsequious silence...