There is nothing wrong in owning handbags and jewellery if the person is able to afford it, said Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Tajuddin Abdul Rahman.

The Umno supreme council member was defending Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's wife, Rosmah Mansor.

"(Just) one or two bags, why not ? She's a lady, I know girls like handbags.

"I was told that one of the ways of tackling a girl is buying (her) a handbag," he told reporters in Parliament.

As for Rosmah's jewellery, Tajuddin argued that the prime minister’s wife was moderate in what she has or wears, and jokingly pointed to his arm saying he has never seen her wearing jewellery up to her elbows.

"I didn't see (her wearing jewellery) until here (her elbow)," he said.

"Some of the Indian ladies like to wear (jewellery) until (their elbows), but not diamond and gold, all that imitation," he laughed.

"I am also dressing like this today, you don't be jealous because I can afford it," he added referring to his formal attire when attending parliamentary sittings.

Owning such items, he said, depended on whether the family could afford it.

Tajuddin ( photo ) also defended Rosmah and her husband’s lifestyle, arguing that they are not living in the lap of luxury as claimed by some foreign media.

"The way they go on holidays is just normal," he said.

He was responding to The Wall Street Journal article which claimed that Najib and his family spent US$15 million on holiday, shopping and jewellery.

The US-based financial daily reported that Najib had spent US$15 million in United States, Malaysia, Italy and elsewhere.

It claimed Najib's credit card was charged US$130,625 at exclusive fashion store Chanel in Honolulu on Christmas Eve of 2014.

Between 2011 and 2014, Najib transferred over US$14 million (RM55 million) to Jakel, a luxurious textile shop.

WSJ claimed that there was also a recorded expenditure on June 28, 2011, at Signature Exotic Cars, a car dealership in Kuala Lumpur, for US$56,000.

Najib's credit card also incurred charges of €750,000 in August 2014 at an Italian branch of De Grisogono, a Swiss-owned jewellery store,

When asked further, Tajuddin who is also Pasir Salak MP urged the media to stop attacking Rosmah.

He then brought up the Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's RM2.8 million bungalow deal, claiming the latter bought the house because his wife Betty Chew wanted it.

"(If) you love your wife, you will buy it," Tajuddin said.