“Some... of course, not all... pretend they don’t know. The reason is simple: either they are stupid, cowards or corrupt. Some (enforcers) have said they are afraid of gangsters, they are afraid of receiving bullets in the mail. Well, you tell them that Adenan told you to enforce the law. No more excuses not to do anything. Don’t mess with me.” – Speaking at a gathering at the state assembly building on Nov 17, 2014, where he made his zero-tolerance policy clear to senior forestry enforcement officials
“Calling me ‘beloved’ is reserved for my wife, children and grandchildren. I feel embarrassed to be called beloved.” – A humourous appeal to his then deputy Tan Sri Alfred Jabu to not address him as “beloved chief minister” (April 29, 2016)