The dramatic turn of events at the 1MDB dialogue where Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak failed to turn up and former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad was stopped from speaking, immediately drew sharp reactions from netizens in the social media.
While some appear to have expected Najib's no-show, the others who took to the Twitter criticised him and accused him of having something to hide.
Some, on the other hand, condemned Mahathir ( photo ) for reaping an authoritarian state he had sown.
"Mahathir is silenced by the authoritarian state he himself created," read the Twitter posting of PKR Padang Serai MP N Surendran.
"What Mahathir felt today was the experience of the opposition all this while. Refrained from organising the programme and entering (the venue), microphone been grabbed," said one netizen under the handle @adrianlimcheeen.
Echoing this, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang cycnically tweeted: "PM for 22 years was treated by police as lowly rabble-rouser? Malaysia enroute to join developed nations by 2020?"
"Nothing to hide turns into something to hide. What a public relations mess," tweeted DAP's Klang MP Charles Santiago on the 'Nothing to Hide' forum which was cancelled this morning.
Singing the same tune, netizen @Art_Harun asked, "Can you imagine a warrior declaring war and not turn up for the 1st battle? LoL!"
What sort of hero is this?
"Spirit of heroism... what sort of hero is this?
"There were Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekir, & Hang Lekiu! Then came Hang Malu/Hang Mana You/Hang Hilang/HangOn Lagi?" DAP's Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming ( photo ) tweeted under @imokman.
"Since school time, I never withdraw myself at the last minute if I have confirmed my attendance at a dialogue, forum and debate," wrote former Deputy Higher Education Minister Saifuddin Abdullah.
They were obviously referring to Najib's tweet, in which he bravely said last night that the "the spirit of heroism was inside me and I will continue to fight".
The prime minister did not attend the forum following the advice of top cop Khalid Abu Bakar.
"I was wondering who would rescue the PM from this one. It's the IGP," jibed the former Bar Council chairperson S Ambiga.
Meanwhile, social activist Marina Mahathir slammed Khalid in her message.
"Well well well.... if @KBAB51 (IGP) can't handle security for an event with @NajibRazak, what good is he?" asked Mahathir's daughter.
Media barred from reporting
"Sorry, my timeline were filled with tweet #Nothing2Hide. I am infected with #Nothing2Hide fever," famous pop star Siti Nurhaliza ( photo ) and strong supporter of the former premier said in Twitter .
Jumping on the bandwagon, Gerakan youth chief Tan Keng Liang criticised the event organiser, which barred the media from reporting the event initially.
"Dumb move by NGO to ban media. You are destroying the efforts by PM @NajibRazak for transparency. He's trying his best but you people (are) not helping," he tweeted.
"Extremely disappointed. Understand police concerns but steps should be taken to assist PM to continue his efforts to explain the surrounding issues," he wrote in another tweet.
