![The issue of 'The Heat' magazine which got its publishers into trouble with the Home Ministry. – December 13, 2013.]()
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Do you believe in Rosmah’s one-sided love?
In a freewheeling discussion on love and life over dinner , at least three women categorically stated that they believed in onesided love that could carry on forever, with no hope of being loved backAlong with most of the men present, I too was surprised, because one-sided love sounds more like a punishment than a happy state of being. To love someone who does not love you back seems like an exercise in disaster. I can understand such a love when there is some hope of it being returned in some measure some day, as happens in the movies. Or when you are, at least, admired in return. I can even understand a yearning for something you have shared and lost. But a love that continues with no possibility of return? Famous women like Queen Elizabeth of England, Margaret Thatcher, Aung San Suu Kyi and Hillary Clinton, do frequently make the news but so do many scandalous women like Marie Antoinette, Marilyn Monroe, Lizzie Borden, Elena Ceausescu, Imelda Marcos and Winnie Mandela, to name a few.
Very often, it is the infamous ones who create a greater ripple effect in the international news media, with the impact trickling down onto the local scene and even shaping a nation’s history.
Malaysia has its own version of a woman tainted with scandals all of her own making, because she tried to be much more important than her standing deserved, and because she sought to be over-influential and showed off too much and too often.
Some say this Malaysian woman is most akin to Imelda of Philippines, who had 3,000 pair of shoes
Tamil Nadu chief minister, who is the prime accused in the ongoing disproportionate asset case being held in Bangalore, told the special court that the sarees – some which are of very high value – watches, footwear seized from her residence during a raid were part of the collectibles as an actress in over 120 films of different languages spanning several years. Jayalalithaa said: “The sarees and watches were part of the costumes in her acting years, while adding that these items were kept as mementos as they were not used again after the shooting was over,” B V Acharya, advocate general appearing for the prosecution, briefed about her statement. These valuables assets with estimated number of 10,500 sarees, 750 pairs of footwear, watches, jewellery are in a safe custody in Bangalore guarded by the state police.
Shopping or as they call it RETAIL THERAPY, is like instant gratification, as in instant healing or therapy!!! It truly works for me, especially if I am stressed, depressed, or anxious!! In my case I have a passion for decorating my home, so anything to decorate my home and dressing it up feels quite heavenly also I love clothes and anything to replenish my wardrobe gives me an instant high!!!
We all are aware of shopping that how things are different to different people. Shopping is a therapy which is used to get out of frustration and for mind refreshment. Even some people take shopping as a reward, or as a justification to get out of the house or take it as a way to kill time. I remember a friend of mine who take shopping to get off with the aggravation and disturbances of life. It always works as a great therapy.
Too many, shopping is considered a recreational activity in which one visits a variety of stores with the intent to purchase a product. Shopping therapy also can be called retail therapy. As it makes you happy and helps you in outburst of your anger.
Psychologists say that if you are feeling sad you must go for shopping it would really makes you happy. The study on shopping says that whatever the motivator mood is, it uplifts the spirits and makes us feel better about our mood and also about our place in the universe. It is a great form of therapy.
There is a thought that “Any time you pursue something new and exciting, those natural narcotic flows into the brain’s primitive pleasure centers.”
Shopping is a great remedy. Shopping is certainly a popular pastime nowadays; some people enjoy it so much that they become shopaholics! If you are a shopaholic and don’t want to spend money but to distress just go for shopping when the shops are closed as you can only indulge in window shopping and there is no opportunity to waste your money.
If simply put, shopping just takes your mind off anything which is disturbing or negative, and it is a tiring yet rejuvenating experience!!!!
So, shop till you drop
Once inside the gates of Putrajaya!
Many Malaysians have watched the videos on Youtube that castigated her unabashedly, accusing her of all sorts of evil intentions and deeds. So far, she has not refuted these allegations or sued her accusers.
Then came the day when she finally got to stay in the official residence that she had always hungered for – the Prime Minister’s official residence in Putrajaya!
But if the closely-watching public thought that the achievement was enough to keep her contented, they were wrong. Straightaway, she ordered refurbishments to the tune of RM65 million as reported by some online media.
Then, she cast her sights on an official spot in her hubby’s office. Whether it was to keep an eye on him, to prevent him from further meeting Mongolian translators, or so she could piggyback on his bottomless expense account, she called her small little unit FLOM or First Lady of Malaysia.
So afraid or is it so respectful of her was her husband, the prime minister of Malaysia, that he sent her off to represent the country in several Middle Eastern states including Saudi Arabia.
Because she has no real official position, she has also been accused of meddling with the way her husband, Prime Minister Najib Razak, governed the country. Those in Putrajaya even whisper that she has been spotted reprimanding her lanky but timid husband.
What she has done so far
Let’s chalk up some of her ‘achievements’ so far.
FLOM Rosman Mansor has managed to organize a party for the First Ladies from amongst the commonwealth countries. For this, she came under heavy fire for overspending an already tight national budget on an event that left little lasting impression or impact on Malaysia’s society or economy.
Sad to say, Rosmah has also been accused of being involved in one gruesome murder, related to Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu. She has denied this and the police have slapped on a criminal defamation charge on her accuser. People say she always gets what she wants; just name it.
Rosmah has also been photographed carrying what appears to be a Birkin handbag, designed and manufactured by Hermès of Paris. Prices of the bags range from US$9,000 to US$150,000 according to the type of material used.
She has also been photographed as well wearing what appears to be a 65.77 carat white and black Zebra safari bangle bracelet made of white and black paved diamonds and 18-karat white gold. This ‘bauble’ came from Jacob & Co, where a grossly huge diamond ring costing USD24 million was also sent for her inspection.
Living the high life
Rosmah’s taste for the high life in New York and other top capital cities around the world is well documented, particularly because of her reported closeness to boy billionaire Low Taek Jho aka Jho Low, who seems to spend an astonishing amount of money courting starlets, movie actors and celebrities.
On April 16, 2010 according to the New York Post, she and her husband were given a star-studded party in honor of her receiving an inaugural award that many suspect her public relations firm had created specially for her.
The party was emceed by actor-comedian Jamie Foxx and attended by a flock of movie stars including Charlize Theron and Robert De Niro. There were also performances by Grammy-award nominee Leona Lewis and the Harlem Boys Choir.
Keeping a low profile until the Umno assembly is over
Despite her many accomplishments, and her never-say-die spirit, there is also a serious ‘dark cloud’ hanging over Rosmah Mansor. She is now touted as one of the main causes for Umno’s downfall.
With Umno’s annual assembly due early next month, it is not surprising that she has scurried ‘underground’, keeping the lowest profile until perhaps, it is safe to ‘party’ again.
She may criticize the opposition but shrewd as she is, she probably knows too well that her real enemies are from Umno, people whom she greets with a smile almost daily as she entertains them in her lavish home in Putrajaya, people who stand to gain from the downfall of her husband, the Umno president, whose position is getting shakier by the day.
Already, an anti-Najib book has been launched by an ex-Umno division chief, urging Umno members to dump Najib, who is perceived as a weak playboy and not the dynamic go-getter that Umno needs.
It will not be long before another of the poison-pen books that Umno is famous for will hit the bestsellers stand and further chop down the ample Rosmah down to size.
Weekly news publication “The Heat” has been issued a show-cause letter by the Home Ministry, believed to be over a front-page article on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s expenditure.
The Malaysian Insider understands that although the letter did not specify the offending article, it was a report entitled “All eyes on big spending Najib” published in its November 23 to 29 issue.
It is also believed that “The Heat” editor-in-chief David Lee Boon Siew was summoned to the Home Ministry in Putrajaya a week ago and told to tone down its reports.“The Heat” received the letter a couple of days ago and HCK Media, the publisher, has 14 days to reply.
When contacted, Lee refused to confirm or deny the matter.
“We have no comments.”
Three days ago, The Malaysian Insider had reported that an alleged call from the Prime Minister’s Office apparently resulted in the Astro Awani website removing a report on a blog posting by former New Straits Times group editor-in-chief Datuk A. Kadir Jasin, which had suggested that Rosmah be appointed a minister.
The report was removed on Monday, a day after it was published.
Kadir had said he does not know of any directive to remove his post.
Rosmah had recently come under fire from opposition lawmakers for using a government jet to attend a women’s summit in Qatar last month.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim had said the Cabinet had approved Rosmah’s use of the government jet, causing opposition MPs to accuse the Cabinet of acting irresponsibly and in an undignified manner.
Umno’s Pengerang MP Datuk Azalina Othman, who had accompanied Rosmah on the trip, later revealed in Parliament that it was Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who had chaired the Cabinet meeting that approved the use of the government jet for the trip, not Najib.
The issue was also raised at the recently concluded Umno general assembly where Federal Territory delegate Affandi Zahari defended her use of the aircraft.
“Rosmah’s safety is paramount and if anything happened to her, it will only upset the prime minister.
“This involves the security of his wife. If anything happened to her, it will affect him emotionally,” said Affandi.
In his winding-up speech at the general assembly, Najib sang Rosmah’s praises, highlighting two instances when Rosmah had helped Malaysia.
One was when she contacted the Egyptian president’s wife to secure the release of a Malaysian student arrested on suspicion of being a spy.
The second incident was when Malaysian students were stranded in Egypt during the Arab uprising.
Najib said Rosmah had used her good relations with the Saudi Arabian royal family to allow the students to enter the country from Egypt although they did not have visas.
I don’t really know how to start something like this. I tried to write a joke — something about my friend being an elephant, and ‘no I don’t mean she’s a big lady’ kinda thing… Then I went the emotional route of ‘Imagine you were chained and electrocuted’… Then sarcastic — ‘ I mean come on, they’re just trying to make a buck. iPads are really expensive.’ But the thing is, there’s nothing remotely funny about this. Sarah’s story doesn’t need embellishment or a funny line to draw you in, just the facts:
Sarah is a 54-year-old wild-captured elephant with a chronic infection and symptoms of arthritis and she’s being forced to travel and perform with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus. In August, Sarah
collapsed to the ground while being loaded into one of Ringling’s railroad boxcars. No one raced to help or make sure she was okay. Instead the handlers forced her back onto her feet and onto their train. She is sick, tired and in pain.
In the wild, like Sarah once was, elephants are roaming over vast areas following trails forged by their ancestors. They return to favorite watering holes, forage for their favorite foods and enjoy dust baths and swimming. They are among the most sociable of animals who thrive in the company of their extended families and friends. Elephants always know what’s going on within their family, they nurture the sick, collectively help in raising the young and pass knowledge and traditions on from one generation to the next.
In circuses, elephants are denied all of this and punished if caught attempting any of it. An elephant who reaches out her trunk to another in friendship or for comfort is punished with a whack of a bullhook — a heavy baton with a sharp point and hook on the end — the ubiquitous device used by Ringling to keep elephants fearful and compliant. The only exercise they get is the walks from the railway to the arena and the strenuous tricks they are forced to perform. About
one-third of elephant deaths at Ringling have been attributed to either osteoarthritis or a chronic foot problem. If we don’t do something to help, Sarah could be next.
The
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has already cited Ringling for failure to properly treat this ailing elephant, but as a
recent exposé in Mother Jones documented, this federal agency routinely gives Feld Entertainment — the corporation that owns the circus — a free pass. Case after serious case is ignored, settled or allowed to fade away. Kenneth H. Vail, who served as the USDA’s legal counsel on Ringling cases for decades admitted, “If I were an elephant, I wouldn’t want to be with Feld Entertainment. It’s a tough life.”
Sarah’s “tough life” is spent mostly jammed into a railroad boxcar with up to four other elephants. Traveling 16,000 miles, Sarah is shackled and forced to stand in a thick stew of her own waste as they make their over 40-city circus tour. No wonder this aging elephant is lame and stiff.
Recent reports indicate that Sarah’s chronic infection and
elevated white blood cell countare likely signs that she is suffering from a serious condition, including possibly tuberculosis.
It seems clear that Ringling Bros. Circus has no intention of giving Sarah relief, much less retirement. The USDA must seize Sarah before it’s too late and move her to a reputable sanctuary where she can get the medical treatment her body so desperately needs and begin the emotional recovery she deserves.
Elephants are known for having a great, long memory. But what if all you could remember is a lifetime of pain?
Don’t make this Sarah’s destiny. Her story shouldn’t end this way. And we shouldn’t let our stories show that we sat back and did nothing for Sarah.
She arrived in Chicago yesterday, Sunday, November 20th. Ringling Bros. will be there through the holiday weekend with performances almost every day, sometimes multiples times in one day. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should consider appointing his wife as de-factor Prime Minister as she seems to be adept at carrying out the duties of several ministers, said former New Straits Times group editor-in-chief Datuk A. Kadir Jasin as she seems to be adept at carrying out the duties of several ministers, said former …
Read more DATUK A. KADIR JASIN WANT NAJIB TO BE REPLACED BY ROSMAH ![]()
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