Hoax posts about Malaysian cash aid scheme misuse unrelated visuals

Published on July 24, 2025 at 11:02
4 min read
By Najmi Mamat, AFP Malaysia

Social media posts have altered and misused a news report and an old photo to falsely claim the Malaysian government is handing out a 50,000 ringgit (US$11,800) cash aid to all citizens. Users are asked to provide personal details upon attempting to apply for the purported subsidy. Malaysia's finance ministry also rejected the claim.

The purported news report by online news site Malaysiakini was shared on Facebook on July 19, 2025.

"GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE OF RM50,000 FOR ANYONE WHO APPLIES," reads the Malay-language chyron on the report, which features footage of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at various events and a voiceover that repeats the claim about the subsidy.

"Please check your eligibility and the application method," the voiceover says.

Screenshot of the false Facebook post captured on July 22, 2025, with a red X added by AFP

Another version of the claim shared on July 11, 2025 includes a photo of people posing in an office with a mock cheque labelled "Disaster fund Turkey".

Screenshot of the false Facebook post captured on July 23, 2025, with a red X added by AFP

Other posts on Facebook ask users to get in touch for further details about the purported subsidy.

AFP reached out to one of the Facebook accounts and was given an order form asking for personal details, including full name and delivery address. Applicants are also told to prepare a copy of their national identity card and bank statement.

Scam posts demanding users' personal information regularly circulate on social media in Malaysia. AFP has previously debunked accounts impersonating government schemes that garnered tens of thousands of followers.

However, the government has not announced a 50,000 ringgit cash aid scheme.

A spokesperson for the finance ministry told AFP the claim is false, and pointed to a list of all genuine government assistance announced under the 2025 budget instead (archived link).

Misused visuals

A combination of keyword and reverse image searches on Google using keyframes from the falsely shared video led to a similar news clip published by Malaysiakini on its Instagram page on July 15, 2025 (archived link).

The original report states Anwar would make a "big announcement" as a tribute to Malaysians (archived link). On July 23, he announced a host of measures to help citizens with cost of living issues, such as a 100 ringgit handout and lowered petrol prices (archived link).

A Malaysiakini representative told AFP on July 22 that its logo had been misused.

"This is definitely not our video. We have never edited any of our videos to promote government aid," the spokesperson said.

The clip shared in the false posts has been altered, including font that does not match Malaysiakini's style and a pink chyron covering the original orange one that reads "Anwar to announce extraordinary tribute to citizens".

Screenshot comparison between the fabricated clip (left) and a genuine Malaysiakini news video report (right)

A separate reverse image search on Google found the photo of people posing with a mock cheque was first posted on the verified X account of the Ambassador of Turkey to Kuala Lumpur on March 3, 2023 (archived link).

Screenshot comparison of the false post (left) and the original post by the Ambassador of Turkey to Kuala Lumpur (right)

The ambassador was thanking the Malaysian Aeon Foundation, a charitable organisation under the Aeon Group of Companies, for donating to victims of the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey in February 2023.

A similar photo of the event was also published on the Aeon Credit website (archived link).

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