Nov 1: An image showing a paper cutting of an Australian daily's report on a shopping spree involving the family of prime minister Najib Razak has been making waves among Malaysian netizens.
The report, said to be carried by The West Australian, claimed that Najib's daughter had spent A$60,000 (RM195,000) on shopping during a sight-seeing tour for delegates and families attending the just concluded Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting hosted by the city of Perth.
NOT AGAIN ... This picture posted on a blog points red arrows on Rosmah Mansor (extreme right) to show her jewellery
Without mentioning name, the report also said that a first lady had bought West Australian pearls worth A$150,000 (RM488,000) during a stop at a department store.
"A few city retailers reaped the rewards, with one first lady known to have bought AU$150,000 worth of WA pearls, while Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s daughter is believed to have spent AU$60,000 in David Jones,” reads the report.
David Jones is one of Australia's most established department stores selling a variety of products from top brands.
The report adds that for many delegates, the Commonwealth summit "has been an opportunity for a shopping spree and sightseeing around Perth".
All brakes were removed for the news to spread on the internet, at a time when the heat had barely eased over Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor's alleged attempt to purchase a US$24 million diamond ring, details of the purchase seen from a screenshot of a Royal Malaysian Customs' computer screen. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz later tried to quell speculations by saying that the ring "had been returned".
 Cyber outrage
The latest report meanwhile is causing another round of intense commentaries on social networking sites.
“Cyber world really exposes everything .....good work editor and keep posting ....you are reaching every corner of the world .....imagine we Malaysian in Brazil are talking about it & we are with you too.... vote out this corrupted BN,” wrote one who commented on the news piece," runs one response.
“Why Rosmah and Najib junior there? If we found they went there using tax payers money, they are in deep deep trouble,” asks another.
One netizen promised to get the truth of the matter during a trip to Perth:
“I'm only going 2 Perth on d 5th... If can I'll bring back a copy of tat paper 2 show 2 all Malaysian..."
Several blogs also accompanied their postings with a picture of Rosmah sporting her necklace. It is not immediately known whether the necklace had anything to do with the pearls bought by the unnamed "first lady" in the report.
CHOGM ran from October 28 to 30 under the theme of Building National Resilience, Building Global Resilience.
 Both Najib and Rosmah are currently performing the Hajj. That however did not alleviate her of the continuous criticism from netizens. Accompanied by a photograph of the couple leaving for the pilgrimage (right), one blog chided her for not donning the Muslim headscarf even for such a sacred journey.
"Does she think going to Makkah is like going for sight seeing in Kazakhstan?" it asked, referring to an equally controversial official trip by Najib and his family to the Central Asian republic in June. Then, it was revealed that Najib, who was attending the World Islamic Forum, was also making preparations for the marriage of his daughter to the son of the Kazakh leader, igniting a debate about abuse of public funds meant for an official trip. |
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