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Photos of former Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin allegedly giving out bribes to voters ahead of the Nov. 20 Malacca state election have been circulating on social media.

Twitter user @SyedAkramin posted on Oct. 30 a photo of Muhyiddin, who was clad in a blue shirt and a white hat, handing over a RM5 (S$1.60) bill to a motorcyclist.

Assalamualaikum @SPRMMalaysia. pic.twitter.com/QZoy7qB7rm

— Roman Akramovich (@SyedAkramin) October 30, 2021

The Twitter user also tagged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in his post.

The tweet has garnered more than 5,100 retweets and more than 8,000 likes at the time of writing.

Muhyiddin stepped down as Malaysia's eighth prime minister on Aug. 16, but remained as Bersatu's president and a member of parliament for the Pagoh constituency.

Party denies bribery allegation

In response to the viral tweet, which implied that Muhyiddin was bribing voters, Bersatu vice-president Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen has denied such allegations, Malaysiakini reported.

Rafiq added that the allegation was slanderous and meant to defame Muhyiddin.

He also reportedly claimed via an audio statement that the photo was taken when Muhyiddin visited the drive-thru of a Gerai Prihatin Rakyat (People's Care Stall).

Muhyiddin was returning a RM5 change to the motorcyclist after he was done shopping, he asserted.

The stall was having a drive-thru sale for the first 2,000 customers.

Gerai Prihatin Rakyat is a sundry shop that sells goods at low prices. Set up by a non-governmental organisation, it is closely linked to Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional, according to Malaysiakini.

According to Free Malaysia Today, Malaysia's electoral watchdog, Bersih 2.0, said that the low-cost shop is going against electoral laws as they are selling items at very low prices, which could influence voters to support certain parties and candidates. 

Bersatu is slated to face UMNO and Pakatan Harapan in the Nov. 20 polls, while MUDA, which is led by Muar MP Syed Saddiq, expressed their interest in contesting in the state election.

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Top images via SyedAkramin/Twitter