Sabah MACC director S Karunanithy said a probe was carried out after the anti-graft body received information from the public that Shafie had been giving money openly to people at the Kimanis polls.

He said following their investigations, they found that the incident had actually occurred in Sandakan on Jan 3, a day before the nomination day for the Kimanis by-election.

“Based on early investigations, Sabah MACC found the incident took place during a groundbreaking programme to expand the Sandakan airport and not in Kimanis.

“It is also an alms-giving programme to the poor after Friday prayers at the Masjid Datuk Pangeran Galpam Sandakan,” he said in a statement today.

The photograph was posted in, among others, the BN Kimanis Whatsapp group but no details were given.

Shafie had also explained that the event did not take place in Kimanis where campaigning is ongoing for the by-election.

He had labelled it as a dirty tactic by BN to smear his image ahead of the Kimanis by-election polls on Jan 18.

He said as the chief minister and head of the state government, he could not stop from carrying out his duties simply because a by-election was being held.