Loose cannons
Expertise
“He knows every scam in the book and has done most of them himself, so if anyone understands this economy, he does.” -- A Jakarta executive commenting on the Suharto crony and newly appointed minister of trade and industry, Mohammad “Bob” Hasan.
Helpful
“I think having a well-connected local partner in any part of the world is helpful.” -- Australian capitalist Michael Nettlefold, a business partner of Tommy Suharto, son of the Indonesian president.
Well, yes
“The country [Indonesia] would not be what it is today if not for them [Suharto's family].” -- Michael Nettlefold.
Diddums!
“Pretty hurt.” -- Foreign minister Alexander Downer on how he felt upon learning that the Suharto dictatorship backed the Malaysian veto of Australian membership of the Asia-Europe Summit.
... and then to lie about them
“We are living in ... a political era when the public expects those in government to ... take difficult decisions.” -- Prime Menzies John Howard, trying to encourage the party room.
Stop press
“The world's leading regulators [the US Treasury and IMF] have decided that greed is in good supply in the world's financial system ...” -- Peter Hartcher in the Financial Review.
Let us prey
“This makes us look like idiots.” -- The executive director of the Kentucky (USA) Council of Churches, after the state legislature passed a law allowing clergy to carry concealed weapons in church.
