Rosmah appears for questioning over 1MDB

Putrajaya

THE wife of Malaysia's ousted prime minister Najib Razak was on Tuesday questioned for more than three hours by the nation's anti-corruption agency over a massive financial scandal involving a state sovereign wealth fund.

The spotlight is now on Rosmah Mansor after police last month raided two condominiums linked to Najib and his family as part of an investigation into his role in the 1MDB scandal - seizing bags of cash, jewellery and hundreds of designer handbags. Ms Rosmah, 66, is widely reviled in Malaysia for her reported luxurious tastes and imperious manner. She last month issued a statement lashing out at media coverage of the police raids, calling them a "premature public trial".

Known for her love of luxury clothes and handbags, Ms Rosmah arrived for questioning in a three-car convoy. Given her penchant for super-expensive handbags, eyes were inevitably drawn to the red bag on her arm when she arrived at the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

It appeared to be a Versace, rather than a Hermes Birkin bag, the model that police found scores of during their searches of properties linked to Mr Najib and Ms Rosmah last month. The bag was instantly trending on Malaysian social media groups, and some identified it as a Versace Demetra estimated at US$2,500.

Following her departure from the agency headquarters, her lawyers said anti-graft investigators had completed recording her statement after a session lasting over three hours during which she gave her "utmost cooperation". The nature of the questioning was not made public. But Abdul Razak Idris, former investigations and intelligence director at the MACC, earlier told AFP that Ms Rosmah would likely "be asked to reveal her bank accounts and explain about the source of the cash and jewellery found by police in two condominiums recently."

Billions of dollars were allegedly stolen from the 1MDB fund - founded by Mr Najib - in a sophisticated fraud that stretched from Singapore to Switzerland, with the money used to buy items ranging from Picasso artworks to high-end real estate.

Both Mr Najib and the fund have consistently denied any wrongdoing.

Rosmah spent nearly five hours in the building before leaving in a silver Mercedes Benz. AFP, REUTERS