COMMENT | In Malaysia, the line between comedy, fibs, ambition, and outrageous claims is often blurred - and the applause that follows can feel less like approval than polite laughter.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s boast that Malaysia could one day host the World Cup deserves a place in the third volume of Amir Muhammed’s “Politicians Say the Darnedest Things”.

Before watching the Argentina-Spain World Cup final on Monday morning, Zahid declared: “Hopefully, by then, the Malaysian team will be among the World Cup participants representing Southeast Asia.”

The national news agency, Bernama, covered the event, and both print and electronic media picked up its report - prompting grounded responses from those in the know.

While Zahid may not...