Malaysian Ambassador Shafik calls Türkiye an open-air museum — Anadolu Agency
Malaysia’s new ambassador to Türkiye, Adlan Mohd Shafik, called the country a giant open-air museum after arriving in Ankara, noting its cultural heritage and hospitality. In an interview with Anadolu Agency, the diplomat said that the cities he visits are like open-air museums where one can see the country’s culture.
Shafik recently began his work in Ankara — this is his first appointment as an ambassador. He said he was pleased with the posting to Türkiye, particularly because he believed that his four children, aged five to 11, would enjoy living in Ankara. According to him, Malaysia and Türkiye share close family values, including the tradition of gathering with relatives during religious holidays and other events.
Culture and cuisine
The ambassador drew attention to the long-standing ties between the countries, mentioning contacts between the Ottoman Empire and the Malacca Sultanate. He also noted that Turkish TV series and films have helped Malaysians become better acquainted with Türkiye.
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The diplomat said that Malaysian cuisine is generally spicier than Turkish cuisine, but highly praised Turkish ice cream, which, he said, his children love. Among the dishes he liked, Shafik named menemen, a breakfast dish made with eggs, tomatoes and peppers. He has been learning Turkish for about three months and said that its vocabulary and sentence structure are difficult.
Cooperation between the countries
Shafik said he has already visited Cappadocia, Kastamonu and Konya, and also attended tomato and carrot festivals held in different districts of Ankara at the end of September. According to him, such trips make it possible to get better acquainted with local traditions and cultural heritage.
According to the ambassador, trade turnover between Malaysia and Türkiye reached about $5.6 billion in 2025, and the countries aim to increase it to $10 billion. He also stated that defense cooperation is developing: Malaysia this year received or commissioned three littoral mission ships, as well as received three ANKA drones, which have already begun operating in the South China Sea. The ambassador added that about 40,000 tourists from Türkiye visited Malaysia in 2025.
