Rosmah Mansor's handbag featured in a photograph widely circulated on social media is not the same as the Hermes Birkin bag sold for RM820,000 in an auction, said her aide Rizal Mansor.

He said this in reference to a photograph of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's wife carrying a similar-looking handbag, accompanied by a screenshot of a news report about the auction.

"It is as if that Rosmah was the individual who bought the handbag," Rizal ( photo ) told Malaysiakini .

However, Rizal said checks found that the handbag carried by Rosmah was not the same as the Hermes Birkin.

"After checking, I found that the photograph (of Rosmah) circulated was an old photograph taken four years ago at Kompleks Bunga Raya, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, when Najib and Rosmah were leaving for an overseas trip.

"However, a Wall Street Journal report said the Hermes Birkin handbag that was auctioned is a new model made in 2014 and auctioned in June 2015.

Crocodile-skin Hermes

"So, how could Rosmah possibly be carrying the same handbag in the photograph?" he asked.

Rizal said that opponents of Najib from within and outside Umno are trying to get at the prime minister but have resorted to using Rosmah's handbag as ammunition.

"Enemies would use people close the victim for attacking.

"In this matter, it is politics of hate. People want to unseat Najib but are using Rosmah," he said.

According to AFP , the crocodile-skin Hermes bag was auctioned for US$222,912 in Hong Kong to an Asian bidder via phone.

The handbag, named Hermes Shiny Fuchsia Porosus Crocodile Diamond Birkin 35, comprises 18k white gold and diamond.

The "Asian bidder" was not named and remains a mystery.

It's unclear how much the Birkin handbag carried by Rosmah cost but generally such luxury bags retail for between RM57,500 and RM112,000 each.