There's nothing really to suggest that Malaysia is a third world...

There's nothing really to suggest that Malaysia is a third world country. The election cycle appears to work. I've found no military coups, maybe I didn't look hard enough.
Malaysia has a Westminster system, there is a divide between the legal system and legislature.
Lacaze is clearly very confident the licence will be renewed. The only problem is the minister responsible still appears to be behaving like an activist instead of accepting that the residues are problem that can be safely managed with stringent oversight.