There is one image from the whole saga of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor that I remember the most. Ironically, it doesn’t include either of them.
The image I am talking about was taken on the day the police raided their residences and seized some items – it’s the picture of the authorities loading up a huge stack of boxes in the signature orange that is synonymous with French luxury brand Hermes into a lorry. There were so many boxes that a police officer had to hold them down while it was being transported to the police lorry using supermarket trolleys.
I mean, I wouldn’t expect any less from Rosmah, the luxury-loving, out-of-touch “first lady” of Malaysia. Though her life is far from glamorous now – she has a 10-year prison sentence after being found guilty of bribery in September but has been granted a stay of execution and RM970 million fine pending her appeal to the Court of Appeal – she’s not all suffering.
The Court of Appeal in Malaysia recently agreed to release her passport temporarily. She will spend the next six weeks in Singapore visiting her daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren. She’ll even celebrate Eid here. Joyful, joyful!
And as an expert on the city, here are some of the places in Singapore that I think would be perfect for Rosmah to check out while she’s here before heading back to her cell.
Charles & Keith
Is it ‘luxury’ or not? Thanks to It Girl Zoe Gabriel, we know that luxury can be defined as anything more than what we need – and also what makes us happy. We know Hermes bags made Rosmah happy, but we’ve got to be realistic, babes. Charles & Keith is known for its trendy and up-to-date designs – and also good dupes of the bags we could never afford.
We all know Rosmah’s affinity for Birkin bags and a report from Sydney alleged that she bought a bunch of Lady Diors there in different colors. Well, we found one from C&K that fuses the two styles: the Aubrielle Metallic-Accent Belted Bag. And it’s a steal at just S$79.90 (though not an actual steal, wouldn’t want to add any time to that prison sentence)!
First Lady
I admit I took it too literally here, but here’s a great opportunity for Rosmah to show that she is actually in touch with the people by having a shopping spree at this baju brand popular with the Malay community. With fire discounts all year round and a wide selection of baju kurung, kebaya and other modest wear, Rosmah can stock up on her fits without tapping into government reserves.
Proposed low-income housing
Since she needs to learn a thing or two about living in small, confined spaces (aka prison), Rosmah should drop by the former Anderson Junior College hostel located in Ang Mo Kio to see some of the finest accommodations Singapore has for low-income single people. Let’s see if she’s into dystopian-drab, or if it feels cozy compared to what she has to put up with at the moment back in Malaysia.
Ramadan Bazaar
We’re not sure if Rosmah is planning to keep her trip low-key, but if there is a place she wants to make a public appearance here, it should be at one of the city’s Ramadan bazaars. Here, she will have the opportunity to look down-to-earth while talking to people in the community and eating ‘street food’.
Though the food and festivities in Malaysia are probably much better than Singapore’s offerings, the annual Ramadan bazaar in Geylang Serai is an annual tradition of sorts where people gather to catch up, try out unique snacks and, for some, do last-minute shopping for Eid. We reckon it would be grand to see Rosmah being papped scarfing down some dendeng tacos or butter beer – but no pony rides for her!
DumPrince
It’s no secret that Rosmah is a fan of getting cosmetic procedures for her face. But with how things are at the moment, she’d best be discreet and low-key about it. Well, the best way to get some collagen in your system – besides the needle – is with soup. DumPrince in Chinatown Point is a stall uses halal ingredients for its signature collagen-rich chicken broth noodles and dumplings. The broth is said to be “meticulously prepared with attention, knowledge and precision for more than 8 hours.” That seems good enough for a former first lady.
Lovisa
Don’t worry Rosmah, you can still be all iced out – but it just has to be on a lower budget. Lovisa is a popular accessories chain store for discerning fashionistas in Singapore. She can easily fill up the little basket the staff will hand out to anyone who looks like they are on a shipping spree. From “emerald” rings to layered necklaces, she doesn’t have to spend millions to look sparkly.
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