To the rest of the world, the self-styled, former First Lady of Malaysia (FLOM) Rosmah Mansor lived an almost fairy-tale existence.
She left her humble beginnings in Negeri Sembilan to acquire excessive wealth and fame, which most people can only dream about.
She dined with heads of state, partied with European royals, holidayed with Arab princes and invited Hollywood stars to Sri Perdana.
Jewellery stores and famous department stores made special provisions to cater to her every need as a highly prized repeat luxury-goods shopper.
Her personal intervention eclipsed the role of many government ministers. During the Arab Spring uprising, she put then foreign minister Anifah Aman to shame when she boasted that her close ties with the Saudi royals enabled her to arrange a safe passage home for Malaysian students stranded in Egypt.
However, all good things must come to an end, but Rosmah's fairy-tale did not have a happy ending.
Guilty of all charges
Yesterday, Rosmah was convicted of soliciting an RM187.5 million bribe from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd, a firm which was involved in a solar hybrid energy project for rural schools in Sarawak.
She was also found guilty of two further bribes of RM1.5 million and RM5 million from Jepak Holding's former managing director, Saidi Abang Samsuddin, as a reward for helping Jepak secure the contract.
Rosmah's “accomplishments”, which were detailed by Jagjit Singh, her lead defence lawyer, are almost breath-taking. Her selfless contribution to society. Her exemplary behaviour. Her role in educating children. The woeful absence of a source of income.
If only Jagjit would put himself in the shoes of the ordinary rakyat; but why should he? He has a client to defend and has been engaged to get her off the hook. He tried to paint Rosmah as an innocent victim but only succeeded in making a dog's breakfast of her “accomplishments”.
Rosmah, the latest high-profile convicted felon, would naturally deny all charges of bribery and corruption. The Umno-Baru politician Noh Omar once said, "Stealing is not a crime, but only if you get caught."
When her husband, the convicted felon Najib Abdul Razak was prime minister, Rosmah invited contempt as the most powerful woman in Malaysia; but today, she sought to downplay her domineering role as the former FLOM.
High maintenance
After her conviction, Jagjit told the press that the fine of RM970 million was the largest imposed in Malaysian legal history and that it would be impossible for Rosmah, who had no source of income, to pay the fine.
Where was Jagjit in 2018, when the police raided Najib's house in Jalan Langgak Duta and three apartments in the Pavilion complex? Around RM114 million in cash and another RM500,000 in 26 foreign currencies were seized at the locations.
Over 350 boxes and bags containing cash, jewellery, watches and designer handbags were also confiscated. It took three days for 21 bank officers and 11 counting machines to count the money, and experts were consulted to value the luxury goods and jewellery.
The confiscated items are those we know about. What about the items and cash that are stashed in offshore accounts, or money that had been laundered into a property and other overseas assets?
Does Jagjit expect us to believe that Najib's ministerial salary supported Rosmah's high maintenance?
Jagjit said that Rosmah deserved leniency, suggested a prison time of one day, cited her contributions to society, and said that she was a first-time offender.
Interfering in the affairs of the state does not constitute being an exemplary prime ministerial spouse. She positioned herself beside Malaysian representatives at United Nations meetings. She flew overseas, held meetings with foreign government officials and acted like an official Malaysian government representative.
In 2010, she received Julia Gillard, the former Australian prime minister, when Najib was in the hospital with chicken pox. That responsibility should have been left to Najib's then deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin.
The former FLOM loved her shopping, and government jets were allegedly used to transport her and her entourage to the shopping capitals of the world. All one had to do was follow the credit card trail.
Joint legacy
Rosmah and Najib's joint legacy was to leave Malaysia drowning in debt, plagued by corruption and caused Umno-Baru to be paralysed by political infighting. One faction wants to free Najib with a royal pardon, but the rest realise that he should serve time for his crimes. The former group fears the domino effect of Najib's incarceration.
Rosmah's ‘Permata’ was run by experts ostensibly for gifted children. It received several hundred million ringgits when other ministries or departments were struggling to find funding. Rosmah hoped Permata would send more students to Oxford.
If Rosmah really cared about children's education, the money would have helped the Education Ministry in improving the provision of education for all Malaysian schoolchildren.
More teachers could have been trained in the techniques that Permata claimed to have unlocked the potential in children. An improved education would benefit all schoolchildren, especially the Orang Asli and rural communities in east and west Malaysia.
Addressing the court yesterday, Rosmah claimed that she was a victim and had been framed by various people, including her former aide.
She is no victim. She bullied her husband, his staff, her aides, civil servants and businesspersons. She is ruthless, ambitious, avaricious and a bully.
The only thing Rosmah cares about is the bulging purse in her Hermès-Birkin handbag. - Mkini
MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army, and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, Twitter.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT
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