The problem with Rosmah

From the heaps of pelt hurled at our PM’s wife, Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor, one wonders why is the fairy godmother still not rescuing her. The picture painted of our ‘First Lady’ in the new media is one that is more of Cinderella’s step sister.

Let us take a quick tour of all the great women who were behind our past prime ministers to appreciate the dilemma of Rosmah.

Both stardust and stones were showered and thrown at the Tun Doctor for his greatness and follies, respectively. But Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Hj Mohamad Ali, the fourth PM’s wife was well respected in all media. Even to this very day, the rakyat have only praises for her.

On that same token, the sacked DPM Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahi’s spouse is well received by all communities. There isn’t any gossip in the marketplace smearing her credentials as wife, mother and leader.

Tun Sharifah Rodziah Binti Syed Ali Barakbah, the third wife of ‘Bapa Merdeka’ was always portrayed as the loving stepmother to the Tengku’s late first wife’s (Meriam Chong) children. She was in the limelight too as she even stood by the PM in ‘rallying support’ for him during Malaysia’s most tumultuous history. But she never earned any sticks and brats.

What about Tun Abdul Razak’s spouse, Tun Rahah Mohammad Noah? Another ‘First Lady’ who earned the respect of the rakyat.There was not a taint of suspicion about her.

Likewise for Pak Lah’s two spouses. Not a hint of smear in the media despite the fact that the rakyat and all the merry men of the Tun Doctor had even said bad things about the ‘sleeping’ PM.

But in the case of our current ‘First Lady’, there are unending stories in the streets, townships, corporate corridors and even within the civil service. Why?

Many of these stories do not paint a ‘First Lady’ image at all. On the contrary, she is seen as a vain personality out to grab power at all cost. In fact it was also most unfortunate that at her very early days of being ‘First lady’, the shadow of Altantunya cast a huge spell upon her.

There are all kinds of stories being traded among the rakyat today and none of them are pleasing to the ear. hence it will not be spelt out here.

The question is ‘WHY?’ Why is she not being praised and saluted like all the spouses of past Prime Ministers?

Arguments like ‘these unfair comments about her are not true’ or ‘her enemies are envious of her rags-to-riches success story’, or 'the Oppositon is all out to finish her off' and the like are irrelevant. The point here is why is she inundated with so much of negative comments and publicity?

After all, the Tunku had to go through even more turbulent times with deadly enemies like the communist insurgents. Surely his wife could have been a target to oust the Tengku.

The Tun Doctor had many enemies as well. Ask him and he will tell all. But his wife was not a target either. And she too worked very very hard in nation building through her numerous public campaigns, and championing national causes.

Therefore to even entertain the thought that people are trying to bring Rosmah down because they want to finish off the PM is absurd really.

Truly Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah may be working very hard for the nation, championing the ‘children of Malaysia’ cause. But why are mothers and fathers not heaping praises or coming to her defence. Even the main stream media are not so very kind to her if you read between the lines and understand the play of pictorials well enough!

Perhaps, our ‘First Lady’ should do some serious thinking to the question why. Why is the fairy godmother not on your side even though you may have employed the best brains to do image restoration. - Malaysia Chronicle