COMMENT If diplomacy is the art of fishing tranquilly in troubled waters, the appointment of Zahrain Mohd Hashim as Malaysia’s envoy to Indonesia must have been done with the expectation that as an ally-turned-adversary of Anwar Ibrahim’s, he has what it takes to sway an audience whose affinity for the Pakatan Rakyat supremo is said to be deep and abiding.

Diplomatic postings to sensitive capitals are usually reserved for practitioners of the craft who are not only well versed with bilateral issues but are also equipped with the special tact that is best described as the ability to remember a woman’s birthday and not remember her age.