“If I Was Younger, I Would Ask For Your Number” Anwar’s Praise For Form 6 Student Takes A Turn
During a Temu Anwar event in Negeri Sembilan, Anwar Ibrahim praised a Form 6 student for her impeccable speech but netizens had issues with his joke.
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During a Temu Anwar session in Negeri Sembilan on 24 June 2023, Adriana, a Form 6 student of SMK Tunku Ampuan Durah, posed two questions to the prime minister.
Her first question was whether the prime minister was confident that Malaysia could be a first-world country in the future.
She asked what the government and the younger generation should do so that Malaysia is in line with the other developed countries.
Her second question pertained to the falling value of the Ringgit and what would the government do to manage the issue.
"Kalau saya muda saya dah minta nombor telefon," seloroh Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yang memuji pelajar tingkatan enam SMK Tunku Ampuan Durah, Adriana ketika bertanya soalan kepadanya. #AWANInews #YXM pic.twitter.com/Q1VAn2OOA5
— Astro AWANI (@501Awani) June 24, 2023
Before prime minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim answered her questions, he praised the young woman for her impeccable speech.
He also jokingly said he would have asked for her number if he was younger. The crowd burst into laughter. Anwar continued to say it was just a joke and his wife, Wan Azizah, was watching.
While it was humorous to some, netizens found issues with what Anwar said to the young woman.
Although they knew it was a joke, they believed what he said was not fitting for someone leading a nation, and it was inappropriate.
A netizen said if this was said in an office setting, the Human Resources department would have issued a warning letter due to sexual harassment.
It’s a joke. But is it fitting for a nation state leader?
— Hazar (@ShariqHazard) June 25, 2023
He has done this before with Amelia. Now with a form 6 student. This is not okay. It is wrong on so many level. Macam orang tua miang.
— Fatihah (@fatihah_work) June 24, 2023
Kalau di ofis HR dah bagi sexual harrasment warning letter dah nie … setiap kali, and we keep letting him meet our youngsters.
— tsaji_peah (@visvick32) June 24, 2023
Meanwhile, another netizen pointed out that Anwar did something similar to local actress Amelia Henderson in a previous Temu Anwar event.
Amelia, who was the moderator/host at the event, posed Anwar a question. Before answering, Anwar said he had a problem because he forgot the question whenever he looked at Amelia.
Anwar continued to joke that Wan Azizah was watching and told the audience not to play around.
He said his wife would start to question him: You said it’s Temu Anwar but it’s Temu Amelia.
While it was likely that Anwar was trying to break the ice by cracking jokes during the Temu Anwar events, it could come across the wrong way to the general public.
As a netizen puts it, a bad joke is a bad joke.
Best part haha pic.twitter.com/UwXYXYlBS5
— Aku dan sesuatu (@faizkml) March 19, 2023
@n_izzah @eelhumm @drwanazizah. Tolong bisikkan pd telinga DSAI yg this is not cool. Lawak bapak2 ni as public figure boleh jadi distasteful. Please read the room. I strongly believe in DSAI & his cause. But this is not cool.
— Profiter du moment (@erwansays) June 25, 2023
Bad joke is a bad joke @anwaribrahim .
— loque (@loque_loqo) June 24, 2023
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