KOTA KINABALU, Jan 7 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has confirmed that a viral photograph of Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal allegedly giving out cash had nothing to do with the Kimanis parliamentary by-election.

Sabah MACC director S. Karunanithy said the photograph was actually taken at a programme to distribute alms to the public after Friday prayers at Masjid Datuk Pangeran Galpam in Sandakan on Jan 3 this year.

“Sabah MACC conducted a preliminary investigation after receiving information from the public on the issue.

“Sabah MACC found that the incident took place on Jan 3, 2020 in Sandakan in conjunction with the groundbreaking ceremony for the Sandakan Airport expansion project, and not in Kimanis,” he said in a statement here today.

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Yesterday, Mohd Shafie, who is also Parti Warisan Sabah president, denied giving money to voters when campaigning in Kimanis as claimed in the photograph, which was circulated on social media recently.

He said the photograph was taken at a programme he attended together with Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng in Sandakan recently, and had nothing to do with the Kimanis by-election. — Bernama