Instead, Rashid’s private secretary Mohd Zaihan Mohd Zainal explained that the photo was taken in the wee hours of the morning while Rashid, his wife Azizah Haron and their youngest child were waiting for the Hari Raya Aidiladha sacrificial rites to begin.

He said the photo was taken at a homestay near the sacrificial centre in Rengit, Batu Pahat, which operated around the clock in line with the SOPs issued by the Johor government.

“Knowing the rites were to take place at 3am, Rashid and his family booked overnight accommodation at the homestay, which is close to the centre,” he said, in a Facebook post today.

“The viral photo was taken in the early morning before the ritual began while he was having supper with his family.

“So there is no question of Rashid flouting any SOPs.”

Zaihan was responding to the photo posted in the OPS Johor Facebook page which questioned what Rashid had done.