Rosmah Mansor

Datin Seri Hajah Rosmah binti Mansor (born 10 December 1951) is the second wife of former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak.

In this Malay name, the name Mansor is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Rosmah. The Arabic-derived word "bin" or "binti"/"binte", if used, means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.

Yang Berbahagia Datin Seri Hajah

Rosmah Mansor

DUNM SPDK SJMK DA SSAP SPMK SSDK
Rosmah Mansor in 2010
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Malaysia
In role
3 April 2009 – 10 May 2018
MonarchMizan Zainal Abidin
Abdul Halim
Muhammad V
Prime MinisterNajib Razak
Preceded byJeanne Abdullah
Succeeded bySiti Hasmah Mohamad Ali
Chancellor of University of Selangor
In office
February 2006 – February 2011
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byRaja Tan Sri Dato' Seri Arshad bin Raja Tun Uda
Personal details
Born
Rosmah binti Mansor

(1951-12-10) 10 December 1951
Kuala Pilah, Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia)
Spouse(s)Abdul Aziz Nong Chik (div.)
Najib Razak (m. 1987)
Children4 (including Riza Aziz)
Parents
  • Mansor Katas
  • Fatimah Keda
Education
OccupationFormer First Lady

Personal life

She obtained a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Anthropology at the University of Malaya in 1974 and a master's degree in Sociology and Agriculture Extension at Louisiana State University in 1978. Upon graduating, Rosmah worked as an executive with Bank Pertanian Malaysia and subsequently as a business development manager with Island and Peninsular Bhd, a property developer company.[1]

Rosmah was formerly married to Abdul Aziz Nong Chik. They have two children, Riza Aziz and Azrene Soraya. In 1987, she married Najib Razak and they have two children, Nooryana Najwa and Mohd Norashman, and have amassed a huge amount of wealth, which Rosmah claimed to have saved since childhood. [2][3]

Allegations of corruption

1MDB scandal
Main article: 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal

Rosmah and her husband's lavish lifestyle and extravagant purchases[4] while Najib was in power caused anger among the citizens in Malaysia.[5][6] Following her husband's loss in the Malaysian 14th general election, the couple is under investigation into the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, in which over USD$7.5 billion went missing from the fund.[7]

On 12 May 2018, three days after her husband and then incumbent prime minister lost the general election, a flight manifest stated that Najib and Rosmah were taking a private jet to Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport in Jakarta.[8] In response, the Immigration Department, upon the orders of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, imposed a travel ban on Rosmah and her husband, barring their exit from the country.[9]

Since 16 May 2018, the Malaysian police have searched six properties linked to Rosmah and Najib as part of the investigation into the 1MDB scandal. They have seized 284 boxes filled with designer handbags, 72 large luggage bags containing cash in multiple currencies, and other valuables. The Malaysian police commissioner confirmed that the police seized goods with an estimated value of between US$223 and US$273 million.[10][11]

A breakdown of the items seized includes:

The police described it as the biggest seizure in Malaysian history.[13]

Lawsuit by Global Royalty Trading SAL

On 26 June 2018, Global Royalty Trading SAL, a jewellery firm based in Lebanon, filed a suit against Rosmah over a consignment of “missing” jewellery. It is seeking a mandatory order for the 44 jewellery, amounting to US$14,787,770 (MYR59, 831,317.40) to be returned. It alleged that the jewellery delivered to Rosmah on 10 February 2018 were for her to evaluate and thereafter purchase those she selected, and to return the remaining. On 22 May 2018, Rosmah had acknowledged receipt of the jewellery but in her statement claims that the items were no longer with her as they had been seized by the authorities. Global Royalty said if the items may not be recoverable or unrecoverable in full or in part, Rosmah will be held liable to pay the full cost.[14][15]

Since the jewellery were confiscated as part of 1MDB investigation, the Malaysian government will intervene in the lawsuit by a Lebanese jeweller against her. The case will begin hearing on 27 July 2018.[16]

In its statement of claim, Global Royalty Trading SAL alleged that Rosmah was a long-standing customer and that it would send consignments of jewellery to her on her demand.[17] This latest news created more resentment by Malaysians questioning how the wife of ex-Malaysian Prime Minister can afford to buy even one of the cheapest items on the list.[18]

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said that the delivery by Global Royalty Trading SAL of 44 pieces of jewellery linked to Rosmah Mansor were not declared to the Customs Department, as they should be for any import of valuable goods into Malaysia.[19] Undeclared imports are not permitted, and as a result, the jewellery could be seized.[20]

Claims by Adi Hasan AlFardan Jewellery

Adi Hasan AlFardan Jewellery is the second high-end jeweller requesting the Malaysian police to return over US$5mil (MYR20.69mil) worth of seized jewellery which was delivered to Rosmah in March 2018. According to the Dubai-based company, the jewellery were handed to Rosmah but the payment has not been made. Adi Alfardan was also reported to be escorted by officers from the Prime Minister office to bypass Malaysian Customs and Immigration checks during his four visits to deliver the jewellery to Rosmah. The items consist of a necklace with 56 heart-shaped yellow diamonds weighing 10.7 carats, as well as 78 other smaller regular-coloured diamonds at the overall cost of US$2.248mil (MYR9.29mil). Other items are the necklace and earrings set, fitted with yellow diamonds where the necklace consisted of cushion cut diamonds weighing 112.94 carats and the earrings weighed 17.84 carats. This set is worth US$3mil (MYR12.40mil). According to the law firm hired by Adi Hasan AlFardan Jewellery, they are waiting for further instruction from their client before considering taking legal proceedings against Rosmah.[21]

Arrest and court proceedings

Rosmah has been summoned three times by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to assist an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of money banked into her husband's account ties to the 1MDB scandal. The first was on 5 June 2018, where she was questioned for 5 hours; the second on 26 September 2018 for 13 hours; and the third was on 3 October 2018,[22][23] which led to her arrest on the same day.[24]

On 4 October 2018, Rosmah pleaded not guilty to 17 charges of money laundering involving about MYR7mil at the Sessions Court under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism and Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act. The court sets MYR2 million bail, ordered that she surrender her passport and not to approach any of the witnesses. The case will be heard on 8 November 2018.[25][26]

If Rosmah is convicted by the court, she might be facing a fine of up to MYR5 million, a maximum jail term of five years, or both, for offences committed before September 2014. For offences committed after September 2014, Rosmah could be looking at a maximum sentence of 15 years in jail and a fine of not less than five times the sum of the proceeds of the unlawful activity or MYR5 million, whichever is higher.[27]

Honours

[36]

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References
  1. "Rosmah Mansor Biography" PMO office site. Retrieved 3 August 2018
  2. Webmaster, MT. "Rosmah – the rousing rose – Malaysia Today". www.malaysia-today.net. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  3. "Bank accounts of Najib's children frozen". The Star Online. 7 July 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  4. "Malaysian PM Najib's wife linked to S$41.5m worth of jewellery bought with 1MDB funds: US Justice Department , SE Asia News & Top Stories". The Straits Times. 16 June 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  5. "A Stunning, Sudden Fall for Najib Razak, Malaysia's 'Man of Steal' - The New York Times". Nytimes.com. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  6. Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Kuala Lumpur (1 January 1970). "Malaysia police seize hundreds of designer handbags from Najib Razak's flat | World news". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  7. "Malaysia Seizes Najib's Trove of 350 Containers of Cash, Handbags and Jewelry - The New York Times". Nytimes.com. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  8. Reuers Staff (12 May 2018). "Ousted PM Najib listed on manifest for jet leaving Malaysia". Reuters. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  9. Reuters Staff (12 May 2018). "Police cordon off home of Malaysia's ex-PM Najib Razak after travel ban". Reuters. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  10. "Najib raids: $273m of goods seized from former Malaysian PM's properties". The Guardian. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  11. "Bags of cash, jewellery seized in Najib raid worth $273m". Al Jazeera. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  12. "Cash, items seized from Najib-linked premises worth around RM1.1 billion: Malaysia police". Channel News Asia. 27 June 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  13. "'Biggest seizure in our history'". The Star Online. 28 June 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  14. "'Lebanese jeweller sues Rosmah Mansor over RM60m worth of seized jewellery'". The Edge Markets. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  15. "'It takes more than money to be a client of the exclusive Lebanon-based jeweller'". AsiaOne Group Singapore. 12 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  16. "'Govt seeks to intervene in Lebanese jeweller's suit against Rosmah'". The Star Online. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  17. "'Jeweller: 'Rosmah a long-standing customer". The Star Online. 11 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  18. "'Yoursay: How can Rosmah afford to buy such high-end jewellery?'". Malaysiakini Online. 12 July 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  19. "No import declaration made on jewellery sent to Rosmah". Free Malaysia Today. 31 July 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  20. "Rosmah's rocks: Undeclared jewellery may be confiscated, says Malaysia's Customs Director-General". The Straits Times. 14 July 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  21. "Another Mid-East jeweller wants jewellery back from Malaysian ex-PM Najib's wife Rosmah" The Straits Time site. Retrieved 29 September 2018
  22. "Long, gruelling day for Rosmah" The Star Online site. Retrieved 29 September 2018
  23. "Rosmah pleads not guilty to money laundering charges" The Star Online site. Retrieved 5 September 2018
  24. "Rosmah arrested". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  25. "Rosmah to face at least 15 money laundering charges, say sources". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  26. "Rosmah ordered to surrender passport, bail set at RM2mil" The Star Online site. Retrieved 4 October 2018
  27. "Rosmah To Face At Least 15 Money Laundering Charges Money - Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing & Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 - The Coverage". thecoverage.my. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  28. "SEMAKAN PENERIMA DARJAH KEBESARAN, BINTANG DAN PINGAT". Prime Minister's Department (Malaysia). Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  29. "Sultan of Kelantan birthday honours list". The Star. 2 April 2005. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  30. "Malacca Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob's birthday honours list". The Star. 18 October 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  31. "Negeri ruler strips Najib, Rosmah of Datuk Seri titles". Bernama. Malaysiakini. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  32. "Sultan of Pahang's 74th birthday honours list". The Star. 26 October 2004. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  33. "Rosmah gets Datuk Seri Panglima title". The Star. 24 October 2009. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  34. "Sarawak Yang DiPertua Negeri's Birthday Honours list 2010". The Star. 19 October 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  35. "Selangor ruler suspends titles bestowed on Najib, Rosmah pending court cases". Malaysiakini. 10 May 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  36. "'Can I advise you something' takes Twitter by storm [Rosmah Mansor phone conversation with Najib Razak]". TODAYonline. 9 January 2020.

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