The Malaysian high commissioner to Singapore has taken personal exception to a news article on Rosmah Mansor, the wife of Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, hinting this could well lead to bilateral relations being strained again.

The article, ‘First Lady-in-waiting’ , was published in free English-language tabliod Today on June 27.

It compared Rosmah unfavourably with Jeanne Abdullah (wife of premier Abdullah Ahmad Abdullah) and Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, wife of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

n parameswaran N Parameswaran, who has been the high commissioner to Singapore for the last five years, sent his comments to publisher MediaCorp Press in a letter dated yesterday . Malaysiakini has obtained a copy of the letter, entitled 'A personal plea from a soon outgoing high commissioner'.

Stressing that he was “under no instruction to write” the letter, high commissioner N Parameswaran rose to the defence of Rosmah and Najib, explaining he has “some insights into Malaysia-Singapore relations that many may not know”.

Concluding the letter, he wrote: “I want to end this letter with a personal plea that your newspaper as well as others in Singapore treat with much more circumspection allegations or innuendos that clearly seek to damage the character and reputation of a particular Malaysian VIP.

“I say this because I believe that it is personalities who determine the state of relations between two countries [...]

"I would be sad if I learn next year that Najib finds himself not in a position to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue which he has attended five times since its inception, or if I learn that the Najib family has decided to spend their holidays elsewhere.”

The Shangri-La Dialogue is an annual meeting of defence ministers from around the globe. The meeting gets its name from the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore where the meeting has been held since 2002.

‘Ambitious and arrogant’

Parameswaran also responded to the “character vilification” of Rosmah in the report, based on interviews with two Malaysians who had described Rosmah as “ambitious and arrogant”.

“Surely your newspaper knows (she) is no ordinary person [...] To attempt to establish a public opinion of her based on the sources mentioned is surely a naughty line to take.”

najib and rosmah 250608 01 Drawing on his interaction with Najib and his wife on their official and private visits to Singapore since June 2003, he said he had never found Rosmah “arrogant or not as humble as (the) article suggests”.

“In fact Rosmah was always warm towards officers and me and was caring about our welfare” said Parameswaran whose tour of duty in Singapore will end in three and a half months.

“(They) never have they imposed on the high commission on any matter related to their private programme. Furthermore, my officers and I know full well that the private programme of all of our VIPs should always be treated as strictly private.”

The report carried a claim by the opposition that Rosmah goes on spending sprees in London and has shipped luxury purchases home at the expense of the Malaysian Embassy in London and national carrier Malaysia Airlines.

mongolian woman bombed altantuya 081106 It also mentioned recent allegations by blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin that Rosmah was one of the three prominent figures present at the time of the murder of a Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu (right) .

Rosmah has since given a statement to police. Today, she directly denied any involvement in the matter.

Related links

Singapore Today's First Lady-in-waiting

Malaysian high commissioner N Parameswaran's letter