On Jan 10, the MACC seized luxury assets worth more than RM2.2 million after searching a residence on the East Coast belonging to a relative of a former top Malaysian army officer.
Last week, 23 Rolex watches and 15 pieces of jewellery were seized from Nor Shahira Atirah Anuar @ Kamaruddin, the sister-in-law of former army chief Hafizuddeain Jantan, and were officially forfeited to the government.
The forfeiture followed a Sessions Court order after no other parties came forward to claim the assets.
Why does one buy almost two dozen of the same brand? Was it a show of wealth, an investment, or a tool for money laundering?
For Malaysian politicians, VVIPs, and their spouses, luxury timepieces have become more than mere accessories - they are symbols of status, often valued at more than 10 times their official salaries.
Politics has long been a theatre of power, but the spotlight has shifted from policy to polished wrists.
While ordinary citizens juggle the rising cost of living, some politicians and their wives parade their Rolexes as if they were campaign badges.
These glittering timepieces don’t just tell time - they tell a story of excess, entitlement, and a disconnect from the rakyat.
Much like golfer John Daly’s parody “All My Exes Wear Rolexes” (he is paying alimony to four ex-wives), Malaysia’s political stage has featured its own chorus of elites, trophy wives, and former wives, some of whom change watches more often than their hairdos.
Nothing new
This obsession is not new. In 2015, anti-crime crusader R Sri Sanjeevan published photographs of politicians flaunting expensive watches.
Among those featured were two former prime ministers - Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Najib Abdul Razak - as well as Umno leaders Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Hishamuddin Hussein, and Khairy Jamaluddin.
Former deputy finance minister Ahmad Maslan denied owning a Rolex, claiming he could not afford one.
Zahid, however, justified his collection by citing his corporate past, dismissing scrutiny altogether. Mahathir’s watch, though, cost a little over RM1,000.
However, it was the record-breaking haul from the Pavilion Residences linked to Najib that captured national attention - 423 luxury watches worth RM78 million.
During forfeiture hearings, Najib’s lawyers argued that several Richard Mille watches worth millions were “gifts” from tycoons Yeoh Seok Ping and Desmond Lim.
Najib himself admitted to buying his wife, Rosmah Mansor, a RM450,000 watch using funds investigators traced to SRC International, insisting it was from donations.
Elsewhere, even a counterfeit watch made headlines. In London, unlucky robber Djamel Benadda snatched a wristwatch supposedly worth RM2.1 million from a Malaysian businessperson.
Having been caught and charged, he told the Kingston Crown Court that the watch was a knock-off - likely the kind sold along Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur.
Are such gifts appropriate?
The question remains: should all gifts, irrespective of the value, be declared?
In Britain, parliamentarians must register gifts and hospitality in the Register of Interests. Malaysia, despite claiming to follow the Westminster system, has no such requirement.
As Malaysiakini columnist P Gunasegaram rightly asked: “Should businesspersons give such gifts knowing that the man they were giving them to has the ability to decide or have a major influence in deciding many projects in which they may be involved? Isn’t it time that givers of bribery were also brought to court and not just the takers?”
The MACC Act already provides strict provisions against abuse of power and bribery, yet enforcement remains selective.
Investigations into the givers of these extravagant gifts have gone nowhere, leaving the rakyat to wonder whether the law applies equally to all.
Malaysia’s fixation on luxury watches is not just about vanity - it is about vulnerability in our governance.
Every Rolex or Richard Mille gifted to a politician is more than a trinket; it is a potential lever of influence.
The rakyat deserve better than a system where gifts worth millions can be quietly accepted without scrutiny.
Much-needed reforms
If Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is to deliver his election promise of restoring integrity, he should implement the following:
Mandatory disclosure: Establish a Register of Interests for MPs and senior officials, requiring all gifts, hospitality, and assets to be declared publicly.
Equal enforcement: Apply the MACC Act not only to those who receive bribes but also to the businesspersons and tycoons who offer them.
Cultural reset: Shift political culture away from flaunting excess toward demonstrating service, humility, and accountability.
Without these reforms, the ticking of luxury watches will continue to echo impunity.
With them, Malaysia can begin to reset its political clock - one that tells the time of transparency, not entitlement. - Mkini
R NADESWARAN is a veteran journalist who strives to uphold the ethos of civil rights leader John Lewis: “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.” Comments: citizen.nades22@gmail.com.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.
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