Doctored image of Malaysian anti-graft chief in hospital spreads after ex-PM probed

Published on March 5, 2025 at 09:00
3 min read
By Najmi Mamat, AFP Malaysia

Former Malaysian prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob was hospitalised shortly after being questioned over a major graft case, but the country's anti-corruption body said its chief did not visit him in hospital. Social media posts making the false claim actually shared a doctored photo.

The image was shared on TikTok on February 26. It apparently shows the former leader lying in a hospital bed, with Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki and two other officers looking over him.

Malay-language text above the image reads, "We're just coming to do a compassionate visit", seemingly a jab at Ismail Sabri's hospitalisation just days after he was questioned by the MACC on February 18 (archived links here and here).

The anti-corruption agency said it was investigating hundreds of millions of ringgits worth of government spending on a publicity campaign during his term as prime minister from August 2021 to November 2022. On March 3, the MACC said it now considers Ismail Sabri a suspect in the case (archived link).

Screenshot of the false TikTok post, captured on March 4, 2025

The purported image of the anti-graft officials by Ismail Sabri's bedside appeared elsewhere on Facebook here, here and here.

But the MACC said the image was manipulated and labelled the posts "fake".

Doctored image

A Google reverse image search found a post by the MACC on its official Facebook page on February 27 in which it warned the public to beware of the altered image (archived link).

"It has been manipulated with the aim of misleading the public. The MACC calls on all parties not to spread unverified information that could cause confusion and misunderstanding," read the Malay-language post.

Further reverse image and keyword searches on Google found the photo of the former prime minister in hospital had been manipulated to add the image of MACC chief Azam.

Ismail Sabri's press secretary shared the original photo of the ex-leader in hospital on Facebook on February 22, but the post has since been deleted.

"He still needs to be under close observation from the doctor at a hospital in Damansara. The doctor also does not allow him to receive visitors for a while until his health recovers," part of the caption said.

The image was also published in local media reports about the hospitalisation, such as by Bernama (archived link).

Screenshot comparison of the doctored image (left) and the original photo from former Malaysian prime minister’s aide (right)

The picture of the three anti-graft officials was taken from local newspaper Berita Harian, where it was published in a report about Azam inaugurating a new office on April 25, 2024 (archived link).

The photo has been mirrored before being inserted into the doctored image.

Screenshot comparison of the doctored image (left) and the original photo from Berita Harian (right)

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