FLOM wears the pants

It looks like the self-styled first lady is at liberty in saying and doing as she wishes.

COMMENT

“We are prone to judge success by the index of our salaries or the size of our automobiles, rather than by the quality of our service and relationship to humanity.” – Dr Martin Luther King Jr

When one ‘wears the pants’, assuming responsibilities is no longer an option. However, in the case of Rosmah Mansor, wife of premier Najib Tun Razak, ‘wearing the pants’ is all about calling the shots towards attaining self-gratification.

In 2009 after Najib took over as the country’s sixth prime minister, Rosmah was asked if she like American president Bill Clinton’s wife Hillary ‘wore the pants’, she replied: “No, I’m not going to be a Hillary Clinton. As the first lady, I can comment on other things but I do not want to get involved in politics and governing the country.”

That was said on July 8, 2009. Two years later, Rosmah is living proof of the classic example of “talk is cheap” for she not only interferes in how the nation is administered, Rosmah is also busy playing politics towards serving a personal agenda.

For instance, on July 23, FMT in an article quoted Sabah opposition DAP chief Jimmy Wong as saying that Rosmah was all too keen to see current chief minister (CM) Musa Aman remain as the CM, unlike hubby Najib who wants Shafie Apdal, the federal Rural and Regional Development minister, to take over the chief minister’s seat.

As to why Rosmah is busy politiciking in Sabah, rumours have it that the recent revelations’ of Rosmah’s fancy for all things diamond are apparently linked to commissions she is allegedly receiving abroad.

Sabah is said to be facing a serious shortage of round logs which the state, through its agencies, exports abroad. Round logs which are exported do not pay the state government royalties. And payments for the logs are not remitted to Sabah but instead paid in a third country, such as Hong Kong.

High in demand

Despite her “subversive” ways, Rosmah is very much in demand. National news agency Bernama reported on July 16 that Rosmah was invited to become one of the patrons of the Asian University of Women (AUW) in Chittagong, Bangladesh.

A letter extending the invite was sent to Rosmah by AUW chancellor Cherie Blair, wife of former British prime minister Tony Blair.

Rosmah said she felt honoured to have been requested to join such a distinguished group of prominent women.

“Mrs Blair had said then that she wanted me to join other prominent women in making the university a success,” Rosmah had said.

Back home, Rosmah was appointed chancellor of Universiti Industri Selangor (Unisel) in February 2006. She quit the post in 2010 to focus on her pet project, Permata Negara.

Material girl

Rosmah’s penchant for richness and all things material reminds one of the 1985 song ‘Material Girl’ made popular by Madonna. But then it is the Marilyn Monroe number ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’ that is close to Rosmah’s heart, as seen from the whopping US$24 million (RM73.48 million) allegedly spent on an imported diamond ring.

Four days after the diamond ring purchase sparked public outcry, news was spread that the controversial ring had been returned to its owner, Jacob & Co in New York.

The “natural fancy blue cushion cut diamond cut ring” it seems was brought into Malaysia on April 16 for a private exhibition by an unknown VVIP.

As for Rosmah, her role was merely to “inspect” the VV (very, very) expensive ring. Documents supporting this story “adjusted” the price of the ring, quoting it at RM24 million in the importer declaration and RM23.73 million in the exporter’s declaration.

On July 13, a day after news concerning the diamond ring was leaked, another blogger published pictures of Rosmah wearing bangles that bore uncanny resemblance to the Jacob & Co’s “Zebra Safari Collection” and which are said to cost a fortune.

Stop politicking

It is clear that Rosmah has some vested interest that sees her working hard at politicking. She wasted no time in setting up her First Lady of Malaysia unit located in the Prime Minister’s Department, manned by a six-member staff looking into the operational needs of Rosmah.

For one, just four days after Najib sat on the prime minsiter’s chair in Putrajaya that RM50 million was given to Rosmah’s early childhood project, Permata Negara.

Her domineering ways also saw Rosmah getting away by making promises of a Permata centre to the people of Hulu Selangor during a by-election in April last year. The promise remains just that, the excuse being no suitable piece of land has been found.

But then, on what basis did Rosmah make the promise? Is FLOM at liberty in saying and doing as she wishes?

There seems to be no stopping Rosmah. When a Sikh boy participating in the National Service training programme cried foul over a mischief that resulted in his hair being snipped while he was asleep, Rosmah disregarded all manner of decency and jumped in to defend the much- maligned NS training programme.

In October 2010, Rosmah lavished RM24 million on a three-day ‘First Ladies Summit’ and disregarded the pleas for help from the Penan Support Group (a coalition of 36 non-governmental organisations) for pre-schools to be built in the interior of Sarawak for the Penan children.

Sad that while Rosmah regaled her foreign friend, the Penan children remain uncertain of their future.

Jeswan Kaur is a freelance journalist and an FMT columnist.