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The Prisons Department in Malaysia has denied allegations that former prime minister Najib Razak was allowed to be confined in a house within prison grounds.

The Prisons Department refuted the allegation as untrue in a Sep. 6 Facebook post.

It wrote: "This is fake information. Stop spreading it."

The caption in Malay was translated and reported by New Straits Times, The Star and other Malaysian media.

Attached to the social media post was a WhatsApp message screenshot that said in English: "Najib isn't in a cell. A good friend whose cousin is a senior prison officer at Kajang said Najib is given a house within the prison grounds. These houses are meant for senior prison officers."

Message spread widely in Malaysia

By the time the allegation was refuted, it had circulated on the WhatsApp messaging app for a few days.

The Star reported that the claim had spread like wildfire in Malaysia.

No preferential treatment for Najib, apparently

Such a claim about Najib receiving preferential treatment is not new.

It was previously alleged that Najib's name did not even make it into the Prisons Department's system, NST reported.

Najib has the dubious honour in Malaysia of being the first former prime minister to be sent to jail on corruption charges.

He was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment and slapped with a RM210 million (S$65.5 million) fine for misappropriating RM42 million (S$13.1 million) SRC International funds, a former subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Top photos via @nylahuda Twitter & Nizam Cherating Facebook