Malaysia's first lady Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali (right) arrives at the
Prime Minister's office in Putrajaya May 21, 2018. Source: Facebook.
SEVERAL photographs of Malaysia’s First Lady Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali
have gone viral after she was seen sporting a RM 125.10 (US$31) handbag
on Monday during the prime minister’s first address to civil servants.
Dr Siti Hasmah’s fairly modest choice of accessory came as a thrill to
netizens amid turmoil faced by ousted former first lady Rosmah Mansor,
who recently saw police seizing what looked like millions worth of
luxury handbags and jewellery from her properties as the government
hones in on former Prime Minister Najib Razak over graft allegations.
According to online news site, Free Malaysia Today,
netizens believe the bag held by Dr. Siti Hasmah was made by Marie
Claire, a relatively inexpensive brand that is widely available online.
The photos of Dr Siti Hasmah and her nonagenarian husband Dr. Mahathir
Mohamad, were shared over 3,200 times and more than 17,000 ‘likes’ on
Facebook at press time.
“The modesty of Tun’s wife has been honored and praised by Malaysia’s
multiracial community,” netizen Lily Boon was quoted as saying.
Other netizens like Muhammad Shah Rizal believe shoppers would make a
beeline to buy the bag on e-commerce websites like Lazada and Zalora.
Another netizen, Margerita Murib, said: “Cheap things in the hands of
good and decent people can look elegant but expensive things in the
hands of bad people make them look cheap and old.”
Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Najib Razak leaves after a news
conference following the general election in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, May
10, 2018. Source: Reuters
During the address in Purtajaya, the country’s federal administrative
capita, Dr Mahathir said Malaysia is saddled with over RM1 trillion
($251.70 billion) in debt, blaming the previous government led by former
protege Najib, according to Reuters.
Dr. Mahathir, 92, led an opposition coalition to a spectacular win over
Najib’s previously undefeated ruling alliance in a general election on
May 9, having campaigned aggressively over people’s rising living costs
and a multi-billion dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development
Berhad (1MDB).
“We find that the country’s finances for example, was abused in a way
that now we are facing trouble settling debts that have risen to a
trillion ringgit,” Mahathir said when speaking for the first time to
staff of the prime minister’s office.
“We have never had to deal with this before. Before we never faced debts
higher than 300 billion ringgit, but now it has climbed to 1 trillion
ringgit,” Mahathir said.
A Malaysian police officer pushes a trolley during a raid of three
apartments in a condominum owned by former Malaysian prime minister
Najib Razak’s family, in Kuala Lumpur, May 17, 2018, in this photo taken
by The Straits Times. Source: Reuters
Malaysia’s anti-graft agency has summoned Najib to give a statement on
Tuesday in connection with a probe on SRC International, a former unit
of 1MDB.
The summons came days after police raided six premises linked to the
former prime minister as part of investigations into the state
investment fund that Najib founded in 2009.
Among the items seized include 284 boxes of designer handbags and dozens
of bags filled with cash and jewellery, from a luxury condominium in
the centre of Kuala Lumpur linked to Najib.
