Filling in for PM, Rosmah says husband on mend

Rosmah (right) meets with Australia’s Prime Minister Julia Gillard at the Seri Perdana November 21, 2010. — Bernama pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 — Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor said today that her husband, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is recovering from chicken pox and could not wait to carry out his official duty.

Rosmah said Najib, who contracted the disease for the first time, was showing positive development after receiving modern and traditional treatment.

“The doctor had come to examine him, applied cream so that the chicken pox scars on his (Najib’s) skin would disappear. He was advised to drink a lot water to flush out the toxin in his body, not to scratch with his fingers and to avoid food that cause itchiness,” she told reporters after visiting victims of the bus accident at KM 38 Genting Sempah, at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital, here.

Asked when the prime minister first felt unwell, Rosmah said it started since they were in Hanoi, Vietnam to attend the 17th Asean Summit Meeting.

“I too felt unwell while there. But I felt okay soon after. It’s just that when arriving in Malaysia and examined by the doctor, there were symptoms of chicken pox (on Najib). So, the doctor advised him to rest. Yesterday, we saw there were still red marks on his face, but today there was an improvement and his skin looks better,” she said.

At the Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Rosmah appeared to be in high spirits standing in for her husband at functions that had been earlier arranged for the prime minister.

She said in jest that she had to work hard and redouble efforts to attend all the programmes that had been planned.

During the visit, Rosmah also gave her personal contribution in the form of cash and hampers, on behalf of the prime minister, to the five victims of the accident who were still being treated at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

“We also gave donations to the family of the victims who had died. We hope such contributions can ease their sufferings,” she said.

Rosmah spent about 20 minutes visiting the five victims, including the driver of the bus, Muthumani Subramaniam, 36.

In the accident on Friday, a bus carrying 44 members of the 4B Youth movement from Kampung Baru, Mukim Siong, Baling, was involved in an accident while coming down the hill from Genting Highlands, resulting in five passengers being killed while 38 others were injured, 20 of them in serious condition. — Bernama