Rosmah Mansor and Najib Razak after voting in the 2018 election. Photo: Reuters
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https://scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3088461/malaysias-former-first-lady-rosmah-mansors-luxury-handbags Southeast Asia
Malaysia’s former first lady Rosmah Mansor’s seized handbags damaged and government should pay, lawyer tells court
- Rosmah became a lightning rod for public anger during the rule of her husband, Najib Razak, who was accused of plundering state coffers
- During 2018 raids, police confiscated more than 500 handbags and 12,000 pieces of jewellery estimated to be worth US$270 million
Rosmah Mansor, the wife of Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Najib Razak. Photo: Reuters
Hundreds of handbags belonging to Malaysia’s scandal-plagued former first lady have suffered serious damage after being seized by police, a lawyer grumbled on Wednesday – prompting mockery from corruption-weary citizens.
Rosmah Mansor became a lightning rod for public anger during the rule of her husband, Najib Razak, who was accused of plundering state coffers while prime minister.
She was notorious for her spendthrift ways and, following Najib’s shock election defeat in 2018, the couple were both charged with corruption and put on trial.
In raids on properties linked to the pair, police seized more than 500 top-range handbags and over 12,000 pieces of jewellery allegedly purchased using stolen public money. The items were estimated to be worth more than US$270 million.
But Najib’s lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said police had subsequently written exhibit numbers on the bags with permanent marker and “showed absolutely no respect for the goods”.
Officials had been “careless about the way they handled the precious exhibits” and may have caused millions of dollars in damage, he told a Kuala Lumpur court at a hearing in one of Najib’s trials.
“Now the government should be responsible to pay for the damage or replace the products,” the lawyer said.
The couple noticed the damage during a recent inspection of the items, held in a vault at Malaysia’s central bank, which was permitted for Najib to prepare his defence. But there was little sympathy among Malaysians for a woman who came to symbolise the rot in the country’s ruling elite during Najib’s time in power.
“Ma’am will be so devastated,” commented one Twitter user, while another social media user praised police for doing a “good job”.
In her 2013 biography, Rosmah declared herself a “naturally gifted accountant”, and said she started saving money early. She also claimed many of her expensive accessories were gifts and that she earned money from an album she released, which earned “millions” not from purchases by the public but by government ministers.
She was quoted as saying: “There are some accessories and clothes that I have bought with my own money. What is wrong with that?
“As a woman and as the wife of a leader, I have to look made up, neat and take care of my appearance. It is also embarrassing for Malaysians when other countries make fun of the sloppy wife of Malaysia’s prime minister.”
In 2018, police confiscated items after raiding properties linked to Rosmah Mansor and Najib Razak. Photo: AP
Rosmah stands accused of three counts of dishonestly soliciting bribes, as well as 12 charges of money laundering and five counts of failure to declare income to the country’s tax authorities, bringing the total number of charges against her to 20.
Her husband, Najib, faces dozens of corruption charges linked to the 1MDB financial scandal, which involved billions being siphoned from the sovereign wealth fund.
Rumours of profligate spending and her supposed control over her husband have tarnished Rosmah’s reputation in the eyes of the Malaysian public, impressions reinforced after anti-corruption authorities last month released recordings of phone calls they say took place between her and Najib in which she was heard to be “scolding” him.