OMM Redaksiyası
Malaysia’s newly appointed ambassador to Türkiye, Adlan Mohd Shaffieq, has described the country as a “giant open-air museum”, praising its cultural heritage and the hospitality he has experienced since arriving in Ankara, Anadolu Agency reported.
“Your country is like a big open museum. All of the cities that I go to are like free, open museums where you can go and watch the culture,” Shaffieq said in an interview with Anadolu.
“It has a very deep culture. So, it’s very interesting for me to discover your country,” he added.
Shaffieq, who recently began his first ambassadorial posting in Ankara, said he was pleased that his four children, aged between five and 11, would have the opportunity to live in Türkiye.
“Malaysia and Türkiye are like brothers and sisters,” he said, referring to the warm welcome he had received.
Shared family values and historical ties
The ambassador pointed to similarities between Malaysian and Turkish societies, particularly close family relationships and respect for parents.
He said families in both countries regularly gather during religious holidays and other occasions to celebrate, prepare food and share meals.
According to Shaffieq, Turkish television series and films have helped Malaysians become more familiar with Türkiye. He also said relations between the two countries had historical roots extending back centuries, including contacts between the Ottoman Empire and the Sultanate of Melaka.
Food and cultural exchange
Shaffieq said Malaysian cuisine was generally spicier than Turkish food, but he expressed particular enthusiasm for Turkish ice cream.
“Your ice cream is the best ice cream in the world. My kids love it,” he said, adding that food should be a focus of cultural exchanges.
He also said he enjoyed menemen, a traditional Turkish breakfast made with eggs, tomatoes and peppers.
The ambassador has been studying Turkish for about three months. Although he described the language as difficult because of its vocabulary and sentence structure, he said he planned to learn as much as possible during his posting.
Trade, defence and tourism cooperation
Shaffieq said he had visited several Turkish destinations, including Cappadocia, Kastamonu and Konya, as well as Ankara. He described each place as offering a distinctive cultural experience.
He also attended separate tomato and carrot festivals held in different parts of Ankara in late September, calling both events unique.
Turning to bilateral relations, the ambassador said Malaysia and Türkiye were making progress in trade and defence cooperation. Bilateral trade reached approximately $5.6 billion in 2025, and the two countries aim to raise it to $10 billion.
He said Malaysia had received or commissioned three littoral mission ships this year and was considering procuring additional vessels. Malaysia had also received three “ANKA” unmanned aerial vehicles, which have begun operating in the South China Sea, he added.
Tourism is another growing area of cooperation. Approximately 40,000 Turkish tourists visited Malaysia in 2025, an increase from the previous year, Shaffieq said.
