I only write what I hear, says Dr M about Rosmah

Mahathir Mohamad says rumours abound that the PM’s wife leads an extravagant lifestyle and all he’s doing is writing about it.

KAJANG: Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has said his blog entries that touched on Rosmah Mansor’s extravagance was not an attempt to attack her but merely to relate rumours he had heard, some of which he believed to be true.

“The problem is orang cerita (people talk). I do not know if it is factual, but I think there are some facts (so the rumours could be true),” he was quoted as saying by Malaysiakini.

He added, “Itu jadi masalah (that is the problem)”.

Among the rumours Mahathir was referring to was the reported millions Rosmah spent on flowers for the wedding of her and Prime Minister Najib Razak’s daughter recently.

“There are rumours out there that she spent RM3 million just for flower decorations for the (daughter’s wedding),” Mahathir said.

He also did not hide his amazement that the PM and his wife had the funds to finance such luxury and noted that when he was prime minister, he drew just RM20,000 a month and was quite content with it.

“It was enough for me to have a plate of mee (noodles) not many plates of mee,” he said, adding that leaders needed to live moderately.

Mahathir made these comments when speaking to reporters after delivering a talk on youth and nation building at the German-Malaysian Institute in Kajang today.

In the recent past, Mahathir has been blunt about how Najib and Rosmah have spent their money and has questioned the need for another private jet as well as asked for clarification as to how Rosmah’s son can afford to live a Hollywood-style life overseas.