Razak family concerned about inheritance talk, say siblings
(The Malaysian Insider) – The family of the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein today dismissed talks of the extent of inheritance left by Malaysia’s second prime minister, saying he was frugal and had integrity.
Their statement comes days after The New York Times quoted a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office that Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s wealth came from a family inheritance after reports that his stepson had bought opulent properties in New York city.
“We are extremely concerned that some recent news articles and postings have given rise to speculation as to the nature and extent of the inheritance that our late father, Tun Abdul Razak, had left behind, ” the family said in a statement signed by four of Razak’s five sons – Datuk Johari, Datuk Nizam, Datuk Nazim, and Datuk Seri Nazir.
Najib is Razak’s eldest son.
“We wish to put on record that Tun Abdul Razak was a highly principled man, well-known to all who knew him for his frugality and utmost integrity and any statement or inference to the contrary would be totally false and misleading to his memory and to his service and sacrifices for the nation.
“We take issue with anyone who taints his memory, whatever the motive.
“We would also like to add that our whole family is united on this issue,” they added in the three-paragraph statement sent to The Malaysian Insider tonight.
The article in the New York Times on February 8 was about the wealth of businessman Low Taek Jho and his role as a property investor who later resold the properties to various parties, including Riza Aziz, Najib’s stepson.
Low had bought a luxury apartment in New York for US$33.5 million (RM122 million) and a house in Beverly Hills worth at least US$17.5 million in cash, the US newspaper had reported. The properties were later sold to Riza.
The paper also reported that Najib had been hard hit by news of his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s spending on jewelry and designer handbags.
It said that Najib, “who earns an annual salary of about $100,000 (RM360,000) as prime minister, has been battered by news media reports of his wife’s lavish spending”.
