BEST OF THE WEEK: From fat salaries to slush funds to Deepavali

Fat salaries

Realistically, we need to pay to get the best. Plus, many still take a pay cut (to join government agencies).

Khairy Jamaluddin, Youth and Sports Minister, justifying high salaries for officers contracted to government agencies, saying they are needed to attract top talent

Quality equals pay' is also a simplistic argument. Look at the pay of Kenneth Lay of Enron before it went bust. (The) chairman of SYABAS is well compensated, too, but it is not a representation of quality. Still needs government bailout.

Ong Kian Ming, Serdang MP

Pakatan Rakyat’s manifesto

Out of the research that we have done, 85 percent of their 2008 manifesto was not even implemented.

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Home Minister, claiming only 15 percent of Pakatan Rakyat's promises published in its 2008 manifesto were implemented before the 2013 general election

Slush funds

The entire budget is filled with such discretionary black holes that can easily be turned into slush funds.

Liew Chin Tong, Kluang MP, finding out at least RM6.8 billion of the Prime Minister Department's 2014 budget as "near slush funds", alleging that the funds had scant details and were meant for political purposes

Deepavali

Currently one day is declared for Deepavali. I will submit a proposal to the prime minister during the MIC Deepavali Open House in Batu Caves on November 2, seeking two days off for Deepavali.

G Palanivel, MIC president

GST

I agree the GST system is efficient but I did not implement it...there was a reason why I did not implement it. We must ensure the income of the people is high and we must also ensure the nation has a good taxation structure.

Anwar Ibrahim, opposition leader

PKR to amend constitution

Among the three vice-presidents of PKR, one must be from Sabah or Sarawak. The Sabah and Sarawak PKR chairpersons will automatically become a member of the party political bureau. This will be a special status that party leaders in the peninsula do not enjoy..

Tan Yee Kew, PKR constitutional amendment committee head, on PKR’s plan to amend its constitution to empower grassroots in the decision-making process and provide more clout to members in Sabah and Sarawak