When Suhakam's findings of its inquiry into police conduct at the Kesas highway gathering did not go in his favour, Dr Mahathir Mohamad told the commission not to use 'western' standards in its evaluation. Yet he himself is using the Italian police force as a basis of comparison with the Malaysian police force.

The prime minister deems it okay to use 'foreign' or 'western' yardsticks when he is criticised for his wrongdoings as long as the misconduct in the western or foreign countries is worse than his.

The corruption in our government is acceptable to him as long as there are countries more corrupt; the highway toll rate is justifiable as long as it is not higher than that in Japan.