COMMENT | Malaysia is in the news again - this time over the “partial royal pardon” granted by the former king.

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak had his sentence cut from 12 years to six years and his fine from RM210m to RM50m.

We live in a world of contradictions: one person’s kleptocrat is another person’s “Bossku” (my boss).

Najib’s loyalists and supporters rejoiced at receiving such good news. Some even declared that their beloved leader deserved a full pardon.

On the other side of the divide, many individuals and civil service organisations...