Why fuss over my luxury watches, I was a corporate figure, says Zahid
Published: 16 April 2015 3:15 PM
Home Minister Datuk Ser Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has three luxury watches worth more than RM1 million, but says he was already wealthy being a corporate figure before becoming a politician. – The Malaysian Insider pic, April 16, 2015.Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today defended his purchase of three luxury watches worth more than RM1 million in total, saying that he was a corporate figure before becoming a politician.
At a press conference in Serdang today, the home minister tried to evade questions from reporters about the purchase of the watches, which was revealed by anti-crime watchdog MyWatch recently.
When pressed, Zahid questioned the necessity of monitoring what kind of watches politicians wore.
Before the press conference began, Zahid pulled his sleeve to cover his watch, saying: "I have to close this (the watch). They make a fuss even about Casio."
MyWatch chairman R. Sri Sanjeevan had recently posted snapshots of Malaysian politicians wearing watches on his Facebook page.
The list of politicians included Zahid, who was alleged to own three luxury watches, namely, a Richard Mille Felipe Massa (estimated to cost RM366,000), Richard Mille RM025 Diver (RM248,000) and Richard Mille M011 Flyback (RM480,000).
The wife of the prime minister, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, was also featured in the list. She was alleged to own a collection of luxury watches – Hublot BB Black Magis 114 Diamonds with specially ordered “tutti frutti” band (RM792,000) and Richard Mille Lady RM007 Diamond Cruncher (RM486,000).
Zahid is the second Umno leader to comment on Sanjeevan's expose, after Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan took to Twitter on Tuesday to deny the allegations.
He was claimed to have a Rolex Submariner luxury watch worth between RM30,000 and RM40,000.
“Libellous. All this is the work of the opposition. I never owned a Rolex Submariner and have never worn it. Mine is only a regular watch,” he said in a tweet.
Sanjeevan, when contacted by The Malaysian Insider, defended his post and said that the deputy minister could lodge a police report if he felt it was libellous.
Sanjeevan said he would offer to accompany Ahmad Maslan to lodge the police report to allow the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the matter.
"Ahmad Maslan can lodge a police report and MACC can investigate. I can accompany him. But is he daring enough to lodge a police report?” he asked.
At the same time, Sanjeevan said the revelation on the watch collection owned by the country’s leaders has nothing to do with the organisation he is leading.
“All the photographs we uploaded are through our findings but it has nothing to do with MyWatch.
"Because I am MyWatch chairman, of course people thought that it was under the organisation. But it was just me. I did it on my own because I uploaded it on my own Facebook,” said Sanjeevan. – April 16, 2015.
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