PETALING JAYA: Roland Galharague, the Ambassador of France to Malaysia, said he was enthralled by Malaysia’s diverse cultures.

He said the more he learned about this country, the more he loved it, adding that the durian which turns many foreigners away tastes just like French cheese.

During his visit to Sin Chew Daily headquarters in Petaling Jaya on Monday, Galharague said it was impossible for him to completely grasp the gist of Malaysia’s rich cultural depths during his stay here.

Galharague, who has visited Penang, Melaka, Johor, Perak and Sabah, said Malaysia is “Truly Asia”, and he specifically highlighted that Penang was his absolute favorite.

Galharague arrived in Malaysia at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in December 2020, and was forced to stall his plans to travel around this country.

On what impressed him most here, he said “durian tasting!”

“It did smell bad and almost put me off, but it tasted wonderful in the mouth, just like French cheese!

“I wouldn’t call myself a durian fanatic, but at least I passed the ‘durian test’!”

Scholarships to study in France

Galharague also said there are currently about 700 to 900 Malaysian students in France, adding that Malaysians could apply for French government scholarships or EU scholarships to study in that country.

He said the French government would consider offering more scholarships to help Malaysians fulfill their dreams of furthering their studies in France.

On the prevalent media ecosystem, the ambassador admitted that it would not be easy for a newspaper to remain independent and neutral in the age of misinformation, and verifying the authenticity of a piece of news has therefore become a major challenge for media practitioners.

“I have the habit of reading newspapers every day, and the Embassy staff will have daily media meetings every morning because it is utterly important for the Embassy to keep abreast of the latest developments and current affairs.”