Social media was abuzz yesterday over allegations that jailed former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak was on TV1 - with some claiming that he was campaigning.
However, checks by Malaysiakini that have been separately verified by the Prison Department showed that this was actually for a travel documentary series on places in Malaysia that was pre-recorded.
It started with a blue-tinted photo of Najib appearing on television, wearing a batik shirt.
A news crawler at the bottom of the screen was reporting the news on the death of Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail's mother, implying that Najib's TV appearance was yesterday itself.
The photo quickly went viral with many questioning how an imprisoned convict could be on air in the midst of election season.
However, the photo was actually of a TV1 travel documentary series dubbed ‘Kembara Keluarga Malaysia’.
The series features 30-minute episodes of interesting places in Malaysia, with new episodes being aired each day.
Najib's appearance was on Episode 57, which promoted Pekan - his constituency.
The former prime minister talked, among others, about the royal museum in Pekan.
Also in the episode was Najib's son Nizar.
Social media promotions by RTM showed that the day before on Sunday, they had aired Episode 56 promoting Sipitang in Sabah.
‘Don’t spread unverified information’
The Prison Department, in a statement today, said its checks found that the footage was recorded before Najib went to jail in August.
"The Prison Department stresses that no footage involving Najib has been done in prison as alleged," the department said.
It urged the public not to spread unverified information, and that such action could result in legal action.
Najib was sent to prison on Aug 23 to serve a 12-year prison sentence.
This is after the Federal Court upheld his conviction for corruption in the RM42 million SRC International case.
Since imprisonment, there have been allegations that the former premier has been receiving preferential treatment.
This included a stay at the Cheras Rehabilitation Centre to receive physiotherapy due to a condition that remains undisclosed.
There were also allegations that the Home Ministry had renovated Najib's cell. - Mkini
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