Rosmah "Most Powerful Woman in Malaysia"

THE PLOT thickens.

The mystery deepens.

The Prime Minister’s wife, (Datin Paduka Seri) Rosmah Mansor, was anonymously proclaimed the “most powerful woman in Malaysia”.

The proclamation was made in a full-page anonymously placed advertorial in The Star newspaper today entitled “10 Most Powerful Women in Malaysia” (in red) and with the strap line “We celebrate the economic, political and social contributions of these women to society”.   (Page 5).

She tops the list that includes in descending order Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz (Bank Negara Governor), Michelle Yeoh (Actress), Ambiga Sreenevasan (Bersih co-chairman), Nurul Izzah Anwar (PKR Member of Parliament), Hannah Yeoh (DAP State Assembly member), Teresa Kok (DAP Member of Parliament), Geetahanjali G (Entrepreneur/Actress), Jamelah Jamaluddin (Banker) and Marina Mahathir (Malaysian Aids Council).”

                                              Geethanjali G, Actress/Entrepreneur

A check with the MCA-owned newspaper yielded little. The advertorial, according to the paper's advertising department, was inserted by “sendirian berhad” company, which The Star declined to identify.

Of Mohd Najib Abdul Razak’s wife, the advertorial says: “Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor, as wife of the Prime Minister of Malaysia wears many hats. She is the President of the Welfare Association of Minister’s Wives (Bakti). She holds the position of patron of various associations, among others are Children in Hope Foundation, Malaysian Nature Society, Malaysian Society of Orthopedically (sic) Handicapped, Malaysian Aids Council, National Heart Institute Foundation, Thalasemia (sic) Association, National Athletes’ Welfare Association, the Foundation for the Development of Underprivileged Children and many more. She is also the Patron of Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), as well as the President of the Girl Guides Association of Malaysia.”

                                         Hannah Yeoh and Nurul Izzah

The text of the advertorial refers to “we”, “our annual snapshot”, “we applied three metrics: money, media presence and impact” and “we select women who go beyond traditional taxonomy of the power elite.”

                                            Dr Jamelah of Kuwait Finance House

It ends its proclamation with the slogan “Empowering Women For A Better Future”.

But who are “the we” behind the award?                  

Mystery, mystery.