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 Tun 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 an investor on behalf of 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, on behalf of Riza, the US newspaper had reported.

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”.

It also noted that there were photos of Rosmah using at least nine different Birkin bags, which typically cost between US$9,000 and US$150,000 a piece.

The issue of Najib's family inheritance arose when the paper, furnishing invoices and other documents as proof of jewellery purchases for Rosmah, had asked the Prime Minister's Office for a response.

The paper quotes the prime minister’s office as saying: “Neither any money spent on travel, nor any jewellery purchases, nor the alleged contents of any safes are unusual for a person of the prime minister’s position, responsibilities and legacy family assets.”

The article prompted DAP lawmaker Tony Pua to question Najib's source of wealth, since his father was known for being frugal.

Pua urged the prime minister to declare his assets as well as explain his family's spending on luxury goods and properties, adding that even the president of the United States declared his assets and family's expenditures annually under law. – February 24, 2015.