COMMENT | There is a strange political metamorphosis that occurs when opposition leaders cross over into power. It is not ideological, but almost… dermatological. The thick skin they once wore with pride is suddenly replaced by an allergic reaction to criticism.

In the opposition, criticism is oxygen, and politicians rely on it to attack incumbents, build credibility as reformers, gain visibility, and connect with the rakyat’s frustration.

As soon as they become the government, criticism becomes carbon monoxide and the same issues are perceived as something to be contained or eliminated, often considered toxic, dangerous and destabilising.

Thus, criticism that is fuel for political survival and embraced as accountability when in the opposition turns into a perceived threat to political control once in power and is often recast as disruption.

The alleged arrest...