VIDEO: Putin's cheeky moment with Malaysian PM over ‘throne for the second wife' goes viral
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim light-hearted conversation during business meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin went viral on social media after the PM Ibrahim hesitantly said the third throne on St Andrew's Hall was for the Tsar's second wife.
The light-hearted moment during tour of the Kremlin Palace has been trending on all social media platforms.
Putin told media, "I was telling the prime minister what St Andrew's Hall is. There are three thrones there, and I asked Mr prime minister, 'Mr prime minister, one throne is for the king (Tsar), the second for his wife. Who do you think the third is for?'
Putin laughed and said, 'Mr prime minister almost without thinking answered, 'For the second wife!"
Both Putin and Ibrahim burst into laughter after conversation.
Putin said, "This is the answer of a true Muslim, a true representative of Islamic culture."
He added, "Our traditional values may not always be the same, but the exchange of information is always useful for both parties."
Anwar, laughing, clarified, "I only have one wife, Mr President."
He went on to explain how he felt Putin was testing him, "He asked, 'There are three chairs in the throne room. Which one is on the right?' I said: 'Of course, the wife on the left, and the second wife...' Then I...I feel the second one on the left is for the mother."
Putin confirmed, "Yes, the second throne is for the mother."
According to historical facts, the three thrones in St Andrew's Hall represent the Tsar, the Tsarina, and the Dowager Empress, the Tsar's mother.
The hall itself is one of the Kremlin's principal ceremonial rooms, often reserved for presidential inaugurations and official state receptions.
Apart from the light moment, the Malaysia's premier Ibrahim said he discussed the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 with Putin, days after the UN's aviation agency blamed the 2014 tragedy on Moscow.
Anwar was in the Russian capital on an official state visit after the International Civil Aviation Organization released its findings that Russia was responsible for the passenger jet's downing in a ruling dismissed by Moscow as "biased".
Anwar said Putin told him Moscow "was ready" to assist in an investigation by any organisation that it deemed independent.
"I can say for sure that, he (Putin) denied saying that he is not ready to cooperate," Anwar said Thursday in a statement.
Eleven years ago a Boeing 777 belonging to Malaysia's official carrier was shot down by a Russian-made BUK missile over war-torn eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 on board.
The majority of passengers were Dutch, but there were also 43 Malaysians and 38 Australians on board the scheduled flight between Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014.
Both the Netherlands and Australia have called on Russia to assume responsibility for the downing and pay damages.
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