YOURSAY 'The sensible thing to do politically would have been to increase the salaries gradually and keep them well below that of the PM and DPM.'

Selangor speaker defends salary, says no diamonds

Oceanbiru: The salary increase for the Selangor assembly representatives had my eyebrows slightly raised but in all fairness that is their only income with which they have to feed their family and often times meet the growing demands of the needy in the constituency.

For those politicos who throw stones, please declare your assets and have it publicly certified by auditors of international repute. Other than that, you have no locus standi to say anything.

Caripasal: The pay rise is definitely fair. As Selangor assembly speaker Hannah Yeoh correctly tweeted, this is better than those BN politicians who don't even bother about their salary as their side income is perhaps a thousand times higher.

Their concern is all about getting government projects. We, Selangorians, support the move as long as Pakatan Rakyat stays clean and without corruption.

Pemerhati: The sharp increase in the salaries by Pakatan Rakyat was not a smart move politically because it has given a golden opportunity to BN to successfully run down Pakatan in the eyes of many Malaysians.

Malaysia's Gini coefficient , which measures the disparity in income amongst the people, is one of the highest in Asia. Thus there are a very large number of Malaysians living on comparatively very low incomes. These people would be shocked at the size of the increase.

Some of the previous salaries were indeed very low and needed to be increased. The sensible thing to do politically would have been to increase the salaries gradually and keep them well below that of the PM and DPM.

Financial help could have been given in other clever ways such as getting the state to pay for the assistants and the centres run by the assembly representatives and by giving other financial help in the form special allowances and not incorporating them in the salaries.

Commentable: Let's face it, the remuneration of pay must commensurate with the job load and stress. These people are running the state for us and if they run it well, then they deserve the high pay.

That will be their only income and no other, such as side commissions and cuts from crony linked organisations, which other politicians are getting merely because of their positions in Putrajaya.

Ann: This is a poor justification for a 268 percent pay hike. Lots of ordinary rakyat are in the same boat - no diamonds, no contracts, baby only has toys - but their pay hikes can barely keep up with inflation. I have expected Pakatan politicians to show a better example.

Mob1900: The pay hike is worth every penny when the results are there for all to see. The MB treats the state like a company - when it profits then it should be shared by all its shareholders and the staff who worked hard to make it profitable.

Try asking BN to stop robbing and extorting us to reward themselves.

Rakyat Boleh: Dear Speaker Yeoh, if you don't agree with the pay hike, then you should say out clearly. You can't take the money while saying you don't support it. It doesn't make sense. Be clear.

We voted DAP because you say you fight for the people, not for your own interest.

Heavenly King: I can accept high increases in salaries for this MB, the speaker and assembly representatives if there are not corrupted. They deserve high salaries for taking good care of Selangorians.

Singapore pays very high salaries to government office-bearers and civil servants. On the contrary, Bolehland's PM and DPM do not need salaries because they how to enrich themselves.

Pputeh: Don't you think the rise should be gradual? For example a 20 to 40 percent increase every two years. Clearly, not this obscene increase of 200 to 400 percent.

Doc: Higher gaji (salary) means paying more taxes. So if Yeoh is getting a significantly higher pay, then she will be paying more in taxes.

I would like to point out that in Malaysia most of the taxes collected will end up in Umno cronies' pockets, so why are Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and his band of Umno cronies crying foul over this pay hike for Yeoh and the other Selangor assemblypersons when they are going to benefit from it too.

Anonyxyz: RM22,000 is actually just the normal pay of a high level manager in a multinational company who have stock options and performance bonus on top of that.

All these managers do not have to contribute to the company's employees programmes as they are paid by the company while assemblypersons have to make donations to social and political events, and maybe even buying a brick , etc.

Oh Ya?: In Australia, an independent commission undertakes regular review of politicians' and ministers' salaries and purses. And any revision, usually upwards, is backed up by facts and figures.

Here the lawmakers who are custodians of public money just pluck from the air the magic numbers to raise their purses. This is not justifiable, not so much whether they deserve it or not or who pays the most.

Odin: Selangor speaker's salary of RM22,500 a month does sound much when compared to the deputy prime minister's pay of RM18,168 a month.

However, how about revealing the assets that the latter and his family members own and explain also how he and his family members have acquired them?

Kalui 64: Yeoh, your two babies are your diamonds. You have a marriage contract with your husband. You may not have a private jet but can fly AirAsia, Malindo Air, Firefly, Berjaya Air or MAS.

You are not the First Lady but remember you are still the Queen in the house. You deserve the pay rise and please use part of the money to help your poor and destitute constituents.

Selangor assembly must justify drastic pay hike

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