YOURSAY ‘If you pay peanuts you get monkeys. We already have one zoo in the BN government. Let's not make the same mistake.'
Anwar: Pakatan leaders want Khalid to moderate pay hike
Katusha: If Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and his present Selangor government do not heed the Pakatan Rakyat leaders' advice, which reflects feelings of the state's people as well, then they will probably be shown the door in GE14. Good riddance to unashamed greed.
Even the Penang assembly's planned increase of 88 percent is way too much when the ordinary people have just been squeezed hard with increases in petrol prices, electricity rates, property tax, assessment rates and the soon coming GST.
It looks like people in power can ward off all these imposed evils by raising their own allowances from the tax-paying citizens, who have no means to do so but face the furore in dire straits. What a wonderful world of endless possibilities this country is.
Mockery: Selangor lawmakers deserve the pay rise , but an increase of almost 400 percent is utter madness. It may be a right figure, but for the rakyat who have just been showered with increases in costs of petrol, sugar, electricity and prices of other basic needs, courtesy of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's government, the quantum is too much to swallow. Thus Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's call is well justified.
Swapping Place:
It is very easy for Anwar to complain that the pay hike is too drastic. The simple reason is that he does not need more money as each speech he gives in the international circuit commands hundreds of thousands of ringgit. For many of those assemblymen, their allowances may be their only source of income.Do you expect them to live in poverty or think of various ways to earn side incomes (read corruption)? Pay them adequately, befitting their capabilities and they will serve you full heartedly, without having to worry about meals for their families or fees for their children's education.
Satay satay: The Selangor state's income is mainly derived from the public in Selangor. Go to the people first and foremost, not simply increase your own pay thinking you are doing so much for the state. After all, the developers and the people of Selangor are the ones contributing to the GDP for the state's benefit.
Therefore, do not become a politician if you want a high salary. Go be the CEO of a company, if you can. We are not short of greedy rulers. We want rulers who will take care of the people's needs. If your income is insufficient, do not stand for elections in the future. We want dedicated rulers who are kind and fair, not greedy ones.
Step down if your pay is insufficient. You knew the pay scale before you gave yourself in to the political parties to seek their support to allow you to be a people's representative. Do not be greedy now, after being voted into position. Slave out like Jesus Christ or Mahatma Gandhi did.
Fair Play: The rules of the game have just changed. And the top honchos of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition are astute enough to see it.
Consider the following recent developments that have far reaching consequences: 1) The Home Ministry did not appeal against the judgment in favour of Malaysiakini for a printing licence; and 2) PM Najib is willing to table an amendment to the constitution for an independent Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), provided he can obtain the two-thirds backing in Parliament.
The recent remuneration hike in the Selangor will stand out like a sore thumb and provide fodders to the powers-that-be to take pot-shots at the opposition coalition. Looks like a revision might in the cards for political expediency.
Franklyspeaking : If you pay peanuts you get monkeys. We already have one "zoo" in the BN government. Let's not make the same mistake. These people serving Selangor are educated and highly sought-after. They do not need to contribute their time and efforts to our service but they are. We must reward them well.
What is the point of taking small salaries and making huge amounts under the table? We prefer leaders like Khalid who is smart and efficient. The Malaysian leaders have to change their mind set in order to progress, for the world moves ahead, with or without you.
Jaguh: Anwar, Khalid knows what he is doing. Leave him alone to decide what is best, and you all must support him, not oppose him. He is one of the best administrators we have seen for a long time and he and his team deserves the increase.
There are many compelling reasons for the increase, and the biggest is eradication of the tendency for corruption. That's why the Singapore government is efficient and squeaky clean. There is an old saying, ‘when you do well, you reward. When you are not doing well, shut up'.
Ontoi: Foolish, foolish move. Igniting another week of mindless debates while BN goes scot-free fleecing us. How come there is no reprimand for Penang, which will increased salaries by 88 percent?
Powerstar: The way everybody is talking, it is as if the Selangor assemblypersons are being paid peanuts today. They get the highest allocation of half a million yearly to do development work. So if you get corrupted if you are paid lowly, then you don't deserve to be a wakil rakyat (people's representative).
Onyourtoes:
MB Khalid, revise the pay. I will not rest till you do so. Forget about the malfeasance committed by Umno-BN (everybody knows that). You fellows will lose your moral authority if you persist in maintaining the pay.
The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.