COMMENT | For a long time now this country's besetting vice is a sense of entitlement, so deeply entrenched among a large swath of its citizenry that perhaps it's no longer possible to dislodge it.

This entrenched sense of entitlement has spread to its political class. Now there is evidence this has well-nigh ruined it.

Consider what appears to have happened yesterday.

A prime ministerial presumptive took the opportunity of a royal audience, of which he had been waiting for the better part of two weeks, to present evidence he had of compelling support for his candidature to be prime minister.

After a 25-minute audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, he shortly after tells a ravening press that he had shown convincing proof of that support and now expects His Majesty to greenlight his life-long quest to be the PM.

The palace was swift to keep matters in perspective...