Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng has turned the table on Umno Youth chief Aysraf Wajdi Dusuki on betting firm Da Ma Cai sponsoring a police delegation to Istanbul to learn about combatting online gambling.

He revealed that it was the BN administration which, in 2017, approved the trip comprising inspector-general of police Mohamad Fuzi Harun and a team of officers.

This comes after Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki criticised the government over the sponsorship, arguing that it was insensitive towards Islam and public sentiments.

"We need to remind him, that while he is pointing one finger at (me), he has four fingers pointing at himself.

"I understand that the board of directors when they approved this, it was in 2017. I believe he (Asyraf) was then the deputy minister," Lim was reported as stating.

Accusing Asyraf (photo) of whipping up dangerous sentiments, the minister said: “As I am not a Muslim, I want to tell him this. If he wants to make accusations, he needs to look in the mirror first.”

Lim also pointed out that the Totalisator Board, an agency under his ministry, does not need the ministry's approval to make sponsorships.

"The board did not refer to the Finance Ministry, and I had no knowledge of it. I only found out about this after I read the news," he added.

Lim said it is possible that the board had sponsored numerous similar trips in the past.

"I just want to say this, let’s leave it at that," he added.

In 2017, Asyraf was the deputy minister in charge of Islamic affairs in the Prime Minister's Department.

Sarawak Report had earlier alleged on Feb 10 that around 16 senior officers participated in the trip and that a total of RM312,441 could have been spent on business class flights and five-star accommodation.