Rocky brewing bout Malaysians' most expensive homes

 

Riza Aziz's condo worth RM110 million, so what?

 

• Famous blogger Rocky has recently brewing the Sarawak Report about a RM110 million condo in New York purchased by a 36-year old Malaysian that has been picked up by not only Malaysiakini but also by influential pro-establishment bloggers like Big Dog (Movie of the Week pick), The Scribe (Kesian Tun Abdul Razak) and Outside The Box (Umno Bloggers, Sekarang Kita Mampus).
• The story about Riza Aziz has gone viral because he happens to be Rosmah Mansor's son from an earlier marriage; therefore, Najib Razak's stepson. Potent ingredients for an explosive expose! If the story's true, Riza's property is just the latest in the list of hot homes overseas owned by Malaysians which have been covered in the Malaysian socio-political blogosphere.
• Just last month, Malaysians were reading about a home supposedly owned by Opposition politician Saifuddin Nasution (Bernarkah rumah Saifudin di Australia RM73.3 juta?). The PKR sec-gen had denied the story and purportedly told someone that it belonged to one Rahim Ghouse (Saifudin kata banglo di Australia milik Rahim Ghouse?). Not many of today's young Malaysians know who Mr Ghouse is. Ask Anwar Ibrahim, he'd probably remember who Ghouse is and how/where he got all that money.



 
• Back in March 2009, a blog posted From Perth to Ottawa about one of the most expensive homes in Ottawa belonging to a Jamilah, the daughter of Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, and her Canadian husband.
• And then there's the famous home in Mosman Park overlooking the unforgettable bay in Perth. First thought to belong to former Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, it was later revealed by a close relative that the house, which was said to cost some A$10 million, actually belonged to Kamaluddin Abdullah, the son.
• PKR's Tian Chua wants MACC to investigate Riza's condo in New York. It is not certain whether MACC could, should or would do that, but a politician half as sleek as Tian Chua would know that the call itself is enough to build the perception that corruption is somehow involved in the purchase of the apartment. Never mind if Riza is not Najib's son; he is Rosmah's and that's more than enough to end 2013 on a juicy note for some people!
• Riza's condo had actually been exposed in December last year by celebrity photographer Kee Hua Chee, who even explained how Riza Aziz made his money. Nobody paid too much attention back then, for some reason.
• Kee Hua Chee even throws in an interview with Riza and his business partner Joey McFarland on the making of the US$100 million Wolf of Wall Street starring Leonardo DiCaprio and the duo's company Red Granite.
• Rocky’s blog received few interesting comments. Some said, the only issue that Riza faces is that a movie he helped finance was rated lower that X, and Rosmah said that Malaysian school children should see it. If not for that, Riza would be hailed as a Bumiputra businessman who made good in the U.S., without the benefit of affirmative action.
• What proof do they have that he (Riza) was able to buy that house with the proceeds of corruption in Malaysia. It's not that such things cannot and do not happen but where's the proof that Riza is guilty of such misdeed. So this is the gutter into which Malaysian politics has descended.
• Another reader said “ Yang sebenarnya orang Melayu tak boleh tengok orang Melayu kaya dan berjaya. Riza Aziz berusaha dangan daya usaha sendiri. Filemnya naik bukan kerana Najib dan Rosmah, tetapi diterima oleh masyarakat dunia. Industri filem di Amerika tidak ada ada kena mengena dengan politik Malaysia. Biarlah seorang anak Melayu menempah nama di persada antarabangsa.