A joke by Russian President Vladimir Putin about Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and a “second wife” has drawn mixed reactions back home – amusing social media users but angering others still mourning Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, after Russia was formally blamed for its 2014 downing during Anwar’s visit to Moscow.
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Anwar is on a four-day official tour to Russia at the invitation of Putin, with both sides touting closer cooperation in sectors including aerospace, artificial intelligence and digital technology.
But it was an off-the-cuff remark – shared by Putin himself – that stole the spotlight.
Speaking at a joint news conference in Moscow on Wednesday, the Russian leader recounted giving Anwar a tour of the opulent St Andrew’s Hall in the Kremlin, home to three ceremonial thrones once used by Russia’s imperial family. He explained that one throne was for the Tsar, and one for his wife – then asked his Malaysian counterpart who the third was for.
“Without even thinking, the prime minister said, ‘For the second wife’,” Putin said, to laughter from the audience. “I hope he is not angry at me for saying these things, but this is an answer of a true Muslim, of a true representative of Islamic culture.”
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Anwar, who was laughing while Putin shared the story, responded by saying “I only have one wife, Mr President”, adding that he later realised that the third throne was for the Tsar’s mother.
