"Malaysia Aid Snubbed? Indonesian Minister's 'Just Say Thanks' Sparks Fury"
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Malaysians are expressing anger online. This follows comments from a senior Indonesian minister about Malaysia's flood relief aid.
The backlash targets Indonesian Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian. In a recent podcast clip, he appeared to downplay the significance of medical supplies sent from Malaysia. The clip has since gone viral.
The aid was for Indonesia's disaster-stricken Aceh province. Catastrophic floods and landslides there have killed more than 1,000 people. The disaster occurred on the northern tip of Sumatra island.
In the clip, Minister Karnavian suggested the appropriate response to such aid was simply to say "thank you." Many Malaysian social media users found his remarks dismissive. They argue the comments belittled their country's goodwill gesture to a neighbor in crisis.
The online reaction highlights rising diplomatic tensions over the perception of the aid.