Azmin gets a tour of historical Hagia Sophia while in Turkey
International Trade and Industry Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali got a tour of the Hagia Sophia while in Turkey.
The senior minister was in Europe for an official trip and had last week visited Austria where he met with Austria’s Digital and Economic Affairs Minister Margarete Schramböck and visited a semiconductor firm in Loeben.
Turkey Local Guides, which provides tour services, today posted on its Instagram a photograph of Azmin at the Hagia Sophia, a popular historical and tourist site in Istanbul, Turkey.
"It was a pleasure to guide for Mr Muhammed (sic) Azmin Ali (senior minister of Malaysia). He was willing and patient to listen (about) historical stories of Hagia Sophia," it said.
The Instagram account had initially said it guided Azmin and "his family". However, the family reference was later removed.
Malaysiakini has reached out to Azmin's aide for comment on the trip.
In February, Health Minister Dr Adham Baba slashed the quarantine period for ministers returning from overseas from 10 days to three days.
However, Adham said the relaxed rules for ministers must be accompanied by a strict travel itinerary.
The quarantine period for normal citizens returning from several countries was raised from 10 days to 14 days in April due to concerns of new Covid-19 variants.
Since then, the Beta variant (South Africa) and Delta variant (India) have gained a foothold in the country.
The more virulent variants have been blamed for the increasing Covid-19 cases despite a lockdown.
Azmin and the rest of the cabinet members have been fully vaccinated.
The Covid-19 vaccine dramatically reduces the chances of a severe infection or death.
However, it does not make one completely immune to Covid-19.
Some Covid-19 vaccines are also less effective against the new Covid-19 variants.
At present, ordinary citizens are banned from travelling abroad due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, exemptions can be made for special circumstances, such as emergencies and overseas studies.
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Why these politicians so insensitive to visit such a controversial site. Christians are still sore over the Hagia Sophia, RAMPAS their land and place of worship, the Crusades etc...
ReplyDelete"....he (Azmin) was, willing to listen to the history of Hagia Sophia..."
History like:
Hagia Sophia was formerly the Grandest Cathedral in the World built in 537 and it remained a Christian place of worship till 1453 (ie 1,000 years) when Constantinople was invaded by the cruel Ottomans. The cathedral was converted into the Grand Mosque till 1934 (600 years) then it was converted into a museum when Turkey became a secular country.
However in 2020 Turkey annulled the 1934 decision to establish the museum, revoking the monument's status, and a subsequent decree by Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ordered the reclassification of Hagia Sophia back as a mosque. The 1934 decree was ruled to be unlawful under both Ottoman and Turkish law as Hagia Sophia's waqf, endowed by Sultan Mehmed, had designated the site a mosque; proponents of the decision argued the Hagia Sophia was the personal property of the sultan. This redesignation is controversial, invoking condemnation from the Turkish opposition, UNESCO, the World Council of Churches, the International Association of Byzantine Studies, and many international leaders
Like the Jewish Temple Mount in Jerusalem kena roboh and a Mosque built on the exact location. Now Jews must worship far away outside, on a location called the Wailing Wall.
Like the 100 year old tokong Hindu bawah pokok tepi longkang in Kedah that kena roboh by the kerajaan PAS buat parkir motor, Ramasamy dan ramai orang pun naik marah. Can you imagine if that parkir today became a tourist spot to be visited by politicians and Hindus continue to come worship there?
Today is July 13. Parliament opens July 26.
ReplyDelete13 days to go.
So let’s see if this Senior Minister complies with quarantine SOP when he returns home. Or ministers have spesial SOP.
Azmin really rubbing his Special Elite entitlement in everyone's faces during the MCO.
ReplyDeleteIf Malaysia's laws were applied consistently , by right this Sodomist should be facing the gray walls of Sg Buloh prison instead of enjoying the sights of Hagia Sophia.