MINISTERS do not promote privately owned products and only endorse those related to a ministry or to the government, said Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.  

She was commenting on the recent issue involving Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who traded barbs with a local entrepreneur over his beverage product.

Azri Zahier Azmi, the entrepreneur behind a local soft drink, Hausboom, said he was frustrated with the minister for failing to fulfilling his promise to help local entrepreneurs promote their products on the minister’s Instagram account.

He said he was disappointed when the minister endorsed, on his Instagram account, a chocolate cake brand purportedly owned by Bersatu Youth exco member Ben Ali.

Wan Azizah said the minister had explained that he only wanted to help the brand, citing the example of herself bringing a local product abroad to promote the country.

“We do not promote products that are privately owned, but sometimes we do promote the ministry’s products. We do it to give the product a boost and highlight products from the ministry or government.

“However, I think Syed Saddiq said that he only wanted to help. We want to help and promote our country.

“Sometimes I bring local handcrafted items abroad to promote our country as a whole,” she told reporters in Ampang today.

Azri had apologised to the minister through a Facebook post yesterday, admitting he was not qualified to be a role model. 

“To Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, I sincerely apologise for my rudeness,” he said. 

He said he is not a politician and the language he used to explain what is right and true could be deemed crude.

“I’m not a politician. What I said was right from my heart. The people are mad. But I’m not here to please anyone. Just me and my team.

“Only real entrepreneurs understand the team’s disappointment and mine,” he added. – February 7, 2019.