Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Malay:Rosmah puts some sparkle in her biography

Rosmah Mansor, the wife of the prime minister, finally shed more light on the RM24 million diamond ring scandal – in her biography, two years later. In her biography, she said it is common for the prime minister’s wife to receive expensive jewellery and gifts while on official duty. “While welcoming guests, it is common courtesy for them to present us gifts as memorabilia. Among these gifts include rings, watches, jewellery and others. Some are very expensive and custom-made,” she said in the book’s Question and Answer section. Rosmah was responding to allegations that she had purchased RM24 million diamond ring as claimed by the opposition two years ago. Her 180-page biography entitled “Biographi Rosmah Mansor” was launched today by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The authors are Siti Rohayah Attan and Noraini Abdul Razak. In the book, Rosmah explained that it was common to receive gifts from hosts while visiting another country on official duty. “It is illogical to keep them [the gifts] in a metal box when they were presented to me sincerely, are beautiful and suitable for use,” she said. Rosmah added that she also purchased jewellery and designer clothes using her own money. “What’s wrong with that?” she asked. “As a woman and wife of a leader, I have to look presentable, neat and upkeep my appearance. I don’t want to look unkempt because if I do, I will be criticised. “It would be embarrassing for the rakyat when other countries tease the PM’s wife for being unkempt,” she said. In her book, Rosmah reiterated that she did not own the RM24 million diamond ring as alleged by former PKR central committee member Badrul Hisham Shaharin in 2011. “The ring was brought in through Customs to be viewed by Maira Nazarbayev who was with me at the time preparing her son’s engagement to my daughter,” she said, adding that Maira was a “regular customer” of jewellery maker Jacob & Co. “Once viewed by Maira, the ring was returned and sent out of Malaysia through Singapore port on April 20, 2011. It arrived at Jacob & Co’s headoffice in New York on May 13, 2011.”

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