The world's MOST FRUGAL first couple - Najib and Rosmah?

KUALA LUMPUR - Believe it or not, Prime Minister Najib Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor are among the most 'frugal' first couples in the world, according Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Shahidan Kassim.

“I believe our spending for the complex is among the lowest because of the frugal spending system we have in place there,” Shahidan told Parliament on Monday.

Sad to say, in the very next breath, Shahidan was forced to admit he had never made any "specific comparison" before arriving at such a 'guesstimate.'

“This is based on my observation. If you want specific comparisons, you need to give me time,” Shahidan replied when cross-queried by MP for Kluang Liew Chin Tong.

Indeed, Shahidan can expect to be slammed for "talking through his hat" and for "political dishonesty" in trying get away with the suggestion that Najib and Rosmah  were frugal.

To the majority of Malaysians, Najib and Rosmah are the most spendthrift-ever first couple in the nation's 55-year history.

Rosmah is legendary for her shopping sprees and they never use commercial flights, always the government's private jet-plane, even when on vacation, and accompanied by a large entourage of mostly personal friends.

Shocking bills

Just weeks ago, Shahidan had shocked the nation when he revealed that Najib and Rosmah had chalked up a RM2.24 Million electricity bill in 2012 for the official Seri Perdana residence.

The water bill was no less jaw-dropping at RM311,174 for 2012.

Combined together, the total utility bill broke down to RM6,989.50 per day, which is extremely high in Malaysia, where an average small family spends about RM200 to RM300 per month on electricity and between RM50 to RM100 per month for water.

Just last week, Shahidan had confirmed that top government leaders incurred a whopping RM182 million on 372 flights to 339 destinations in 2012, using the six private planes belonging to the government.

Of the RM182 million, fuel cost was RM14,951,448.04 while maintenance cost RM167,079,541.80.

That works out to be almost half-a-million ringgit for each trip taken on the government's private planes.

"This is another form of wastage by the government who does not want to reduce its expenditure despite telling the people to do so. Did the Prime Minister and his deputy fly everyday? The records seems to indicate so," MP for Seremban Anthony Loke had told reporters.

Malaysia Chronicle