KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 — The office of the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department today denied that Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng had chaired a meeting on Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) as seen in a photo which had gone viral on social media.

It explained that the photo was actually taken during Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mujahid Yusof Rawa’s courtesy call with officials of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) to explain on the concept of Rahmatan Lil’ Alamin on February 18, last year.

"The allegations made are baseless and irresponsible. The spread of the photo is a deliberate attempt to spread racial and religious hatred in the country,” it said in a statement.

It further said that according to the Tabung Haji Act 1995, the minister in charge of TH was the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department managing the Islamic affairs, and not the finance minister.

It said a police report had been made over the allegations and the public had been advised not to trust fake news made by irresponsible individuals. — Bernama