Can’t catch a break! Azmin now pilloried over Turkey trip

KUALA LUMPUR – A Turkish tour guide’s decision to upload a photo of himself and Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali near Hagia Sophia has made the international trade and industry minister once again the target of netizens’ wrath.

The guide, using the Instagram handle @turkeylocalguides, initially expressed his pleasure over the opportunity to bring Azmin and his family around the famed mosque.

The post, featuring a photo of the guide and Azmin, was later edited to omit references to the Gombak MP’s family.

In yet another edit, the guide apologised for “sharing the wrong information” and said Azmin was with an official delegation from his ministry.

“The visit was part of a programme organised by (the) Turkish government. We were brought there from Asar prayers.” 

Azmin’s daughter Amira uploaded a photo to Twitter showing that her family are in Malaysia.

She said she did not know how else to prove that they are not abroad, and the picture she posted is of her family members in front of the television with the TV3 channel on.  

A check of the tour guide’s Instagram page tonight found that the post in question has been deleted, but not before social media users took screenshots and shared the image on Twitter.

They heaped criticism on Azmin, including issuing calls for him to resign, and to “just stay there and don’t return to Malaysia”.

The minister was in recent days lambasted online following his seeming failure to capture the deputy prime minister’s post and during his visit to Austria.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak, too, took a swipe at Azmin.

In a Facebook post, the former prime minister expressed disappointment that he himself did not have the time to visit Hagia Sophia during his trip to Istanbul for the 2017 Organisation of Islamic Cooperation summit.

“Too bad we didn’t have the time to go to Hagia Sophia.

“Min, is the place beautiful? Do take pictures and share with us.

“We didn’t have the chance to go there, what to do, right? So long as we get to see some pictures, we’ll be happy.” – The Vibes, July 12, 2021