Former minister auctions Rolex watch for Palestine
SHAH ALAM - Former Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) minister Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri is auctioning his Rolex watch on Facebook starting today (Monday) and will be donating the proceeds to Palestinians.
Zulkifli said the luxury watch was a present from the Saudi Arabian King, King Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud, when he had assumed the Federal Territory Mufti post.
“In support of the Saudi government’s commitment to donate billions of dollars to Palestine annually, I would like to open a bid for my beloved Rolex at a starting price of RM40,000.
“All proceeds from the auction will be donated entirely to the welfare of Palestinians who are suffering.
“Anyone interested can bid in the comment section,” he wrote in a Facebook post on Monday.
The Palestine Health Ministry had recently stated that Israeli attacks have killed 7,703 individuals, with the majority of them civilians and children, since the war between Hamas freedom fighters and the Zionist regime started on October 7.
Zulkifli added that despite the watch being a present he received in 2017, he did not open it until he had resigned from the Mufti post in 2021.
“The story began in February 2017 when I received a surprise call while attending a meeting as part of Bank Negara’s Syariah Advisory Panel,” he said.
He explained that he was asked at the time by the Malaysian government as the Federal Territory Mufti to represent all muftis and ulama in the nation and provide a speech in front of the King in his courtesy visit to Malaysia.
He added that several days after the ceremony, he was contacted by the Saudi Arabia Embassy in Malaysia regarding a gift from the royal family.
“I did not open the gift box.
“It was kept in my office in Putrajaya until the day I was appointed as minister.
“While I held the post of minister, the box was moved to my second office at the Kuala Lumpur Islamic Centre Complex.
“When I resigned from my post as a minister in 2021, the box was transferred to my personal office.
“It was there when I opened it and wore it as a sign of respect for the King who gifted it to me,” he said.
As of press time the highest bid for the watch has reached RM95,000.
