Quotekini: Let him be 'honourary prime minister'

As polls near, the mercury has gone up a few notches. Here are some quotable quotes from key political players over the past week. Obviously, there will be more to come.

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• "We shall have two positions for prime minister and let him be ‘honourary prime minister' for five days. After that, he can retire."

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said in jest about PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's indication to quit politics if Pakatan Rakyat fails to wrest Putrajaya in the coming GE.

• "(Hunger strike is) their choice, lamb chops is my choice."

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein in his tweet reply to a follower in reference to the hunger strike by Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees.

• "I don't know why he hates me so much."

Mahathir said of DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang.

• "Sorry to say this, Malay women are a bit orthodox, but Allah has made it (sex between husband and wife) permissible."

Obedient Wives Club (OWC) spokesperson Fauziah Ariffin chastisedMalay women, whom she said neglected to utilise the marriage institution to explore the full gamut of permissible sexual relations between a married couple.

• "If you put someone in under ISA, it doesn't kill them politically. Instead, it enhances their political career."

Prime Minister Najib Razak told civil servants at a dialogue organised by the Razak School of Government.

• "Let the enforcement agencies do their work, otherwise they wouldn't have any work to do."

Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Razali Ibrahim urged Malaysians to stop blaming the authorities for banning Canadian author Irshad Manji's book ‘Allah, Love and Liberty'.

• "The EC is not a tiger, nor a ghost. We can discuss matters."

Elections Commission chief Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof complained that political parties with information about electoral issues would rather approach the media rather than the EC.

• "If he (Chua) was my student, I would have given him an 'F' and told him to (do) another subject."

Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim responded to MCA Young Professionals Bureau chief Chua Tee Yong's accusation on Talam debt.

• "There is already an agreed statement on all this, why am I sitting here? I am not a recording machine. Do this in your submission."

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge VT Singam snapped at the Utusan Malaysia's lead counsel Firoz Hussein in a defamation trial brought against the daily by Anwar Ibrahim. The judge was annoyed by the lawyer's repeated questions on what Anwar had not said during an interview with BBC.

• "In order to generate some returns, I propose to the (Selangor) state government that it should contact the Ministry of Agriculture to see if the mining ponds are suitable for aquaculture."

Deputy Agriculture Minister Chua Tee Yong remarked sarcastically after visiting Bestari Jaya, which Talam Corporation purportedly sold to the state government at a steep mark-up when a sizable portion of it was underwater.

• "I seriously would appreciate if he (Chua Tee Yong) can turn up at this forum, so that I can pay him tuition fees for him to teach me how to count and teach me the elements of accountancy."

DAP publicity chief Tony Pua said tongue-in-cheek after announcing two forums on Chua's allegations that Selangor had overpaid Talam for a few parcels of land.