According to Press reports a Malaysian of chinese origin has been arrested, taken to Court on a charge of ”insulting the Johor Crown Prince” and remanded in custody.

If this report, incredible on the face of it, is factually correct there are serious questions to answered. What insult, where uttered, “victim” present,?

Even if the Police can somehow dredge up an excuse for this gross infraction of normal police behaviour it had better not be lese majeste. The days when local “royalty” let alone its offcuts are immune from public comment and criticism are long gone, or ought to be. The law of defamation is there to cover cases of that kind and the Police should keep their officious noses out of such matters.

Presumably some official wanted to be seen as a toady of the Johor ruling house. In fact he will be seen as someone who ought to be better informed about his powers and duties. IGP, please note.