Misplaced corporate flavour to Selangor's pay rises

Cala: This is uncharted water for Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim: Honestly, I do not think the issue at hand is a serious one. First, the consensus is that judging from the record of Khalid's first term as the MB of Selangor, the performance is exemplary.

In fact, he is widely accused of being too stingy with the state expenses. Second, Khalid has grounds to prove that a raise is necessary.

The issue is really one of quantum, a subject that affords no right or wrong answer. Simply put, if I am Khalid, what is the right model to benchmark a pay rise for state officials?

On hindsight, he needs a commission (as someone has said applied in Australia), or an economic authority who can offer proper advice (the Singapore model would be professor Lim Chong Yah of NUS).

Can one consult a similar expert in Universiti Malaya? In the absence of this, Khalid is rightly accused of bulldozing his way through in this episode. A leader need not lead all the time, especially in uncharted waters.

Hang Tuah PJ: Terence Netto, we don't need to compare the state administration with the corporate sector if that is your bone of contention, but for a deputy speaker to earn a RM3,000 monthly salary? Even fresh graduates get paid RM4,000 now.

There's no need to compare with anything. Just tell me whether their current salaries commensurate with their responsibilities.

Yes, some people can say being Aduns (state assembly representatives) there should be no self-interest and they have been elected to serve the community, but they too have to eat.

Do you feel that these people should be getting paid lower than a fresh graduate? It's easy for PKR deputy president Azmin Ali and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim to talk.

How much have they already stashed away? Their MP salaries must be loose change for them, but for the hard-working Pakatan Rakyat MPs, this is hard-earned salary.

SomebodyElse: Based on current economic climate and rise of corruption, I strongly believe what you pay is what you get. Just like if you hire foreign workers to serve your customer, don't expect much of a service level.

The ideology is very simple, if the wages are good you will then attract talented people joining politics, similar to the concept of Singapore and Japan.

When was the last time you walked into a government office (JPJ, City Hall, etc) and felt it is disorganised and inefficient? Well, that is because they are all under paid and couldn't care less if you are happy or not.

Wira: I would also support a remuneration increase for our Aduns and senior elected government officials in my home state of Penang.

However, I will not support any remuneration increase for Putrajaya and BN state governments, unless they run them as transparently and as honestly as the twin states of Penang and Selangor. And first, get all these public officials to declare their assets.

A low-paying political career in government will only encourage patronage and side income that can be detrimental to the way those government leaders conduct their business.

Are we agreeable to them getting side income from less honourable sources? Do we want Pakatan leaders to fall into the same corrupt trap as those in Umno?

Kanasai: Salary should be commensurate with work contribution. From this angle, it is not wrong for Selangor to rewards its representatives with high salaries, and by virtue of the state's contribution to national income, it should be higher than Sarawak.

Please take note that an elected representative is only for a limited term and not a long-term employment. This should provide the incentive for those with better brains to support our country's administration, instead of encouraging corruption and cronyism.

With such increases, the MB now has every right to demand better services from the elected representatives. This should pave the way to better increments for those in the administration.

If every state can adopt the same mindset, what would be the scale of growth for Malaysia?

Let us not be too critical about this salary adjustment and let it play a role in checking corruption, nepotism and cronyism.

Clearwater: Is there really intrinsic satisfaction in a political career (as compared to a corporate career) that's incommensurable? I really don't see it that way.

A politician may have a young family to feed, clothe and educate too. You can't expect the family to live off intrinsic satisfaction. Good pay for good work is only fair compensation.

Sodom Me Sodom You: I believe the pay rise is justified. At the same time, I think Selangor and other Pakatan-governed states would need to beef up transparency. Keep the practice of declaring their assets and keep doing a darn good job running the states.

In this way, the lawmakers are happy and the rakyat are happy, additionally boosted by the states' good economic performance. A win-win for all parties.

Selangor salary hike - pay peanuts, get monkeys

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