Posted: Nov 9, 2021 17:09 GMT
Public Safety Minister To Lam was spotted in one of London’s fanciest restaurants of the famous Turkish chef ‘Salt Bae’, who personally served the food to the senior official.
Vietnam’s Minister of Public Security, To Lam, has been heavily criticized on social media after a video was released in which he appears eating a gold-plated steak, which can cost a few $ 2,000, in one of the most luxurious restaurants in London (United Kingdom).
The images, originally published on the official TikTok account of the famous Turkish chef Nusret Gokce, better known as ‘Salt Bae’ (‘the salt boy’), show the chef bringing two gold-covered steaks to the table where To Lam and the ministry spokesperson, To An Xo, are sitting. Gokce then proceeds to cut the meat, salt the steaks in his own particular style, and finally pull out a knife with a piece of meat for the high official to taste.
Bộ trưởng Bộ Công an Việt Nam Tô Lâm được Salt Bae chế biến và đút cho ăn món bò dát vàng trị giá lên đến 45 triệu đồng / phần trong một nhà hàng của ông này ở Luân Đa ông này ở Luân Đa ông này ở Luân a. Cùng bàn với ông Tô Lâm là Chánh văn phòng Bộ Công an Tô Ân Xô. pic.twitter.com/hGZZqGbJZr
– Duy Bình (@ DuyBnh61157516) November 5, 2021
The event sparked strong criticism among Vietnamese netizens who questioned the choice of where a dish can cost more than the minister’s modest salary, which does not exceed $ 700 a month, according to .. “Where did you get the money? Your yearly salary can’t afford that meal!”wrote one Facebook user.
Other users also criticized the opulence of the food and recalled the average salary of a Vietnamese citizen, which is around the $ 230 per month, according to the General Statistical Office. “Do you know how many months of salary you would have to spend for a single piece of that steak?” Asked a netizen.
Did the government want to hide it?
After the video went viral on Facebook accompanied by criticism with the hashtag #saltbae, the ‘hashtag’ was blocked around the world. However, this Tuesday the platform’s parent company announced that it had unlocked it and was investigating the reasons for what happened.
It is not clear why the label was blocked, but it could be related to a possible censorship request for the video by the Government of Vietnam, since the Asian country regularly asks social media companies to censor the content considered “anti-state”. Last year, Vietnam threatened to shut down Facebook in the country if it did not remove more local political content from its platform.
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