Malaysian Prime Minister falsely accused of having a 'Palestinian son-in-law' in targeted photo campaign

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Screenshot of the false post taken on October 10, 2024

Malaysia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel and Anwar has defended the country’s ties with Hamas, which launched an unprecedented attack against Israel on October 7, 2023 that triggered the war in Gaza.

The attack resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures, which include hostages killed in captivity.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 42,000 people in Gaza, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry that the UN has described as reliable.

Of the 251 people abducted that day, 97 are still being held in Gaza, and 34 have been declared dead by the Israeli army.

The photo was shared in similar posts on Facebook and TikTok after Malaysia welcomed 40 injured Palestinian civilians for medical treatment (archived link).

Gaza evacuation

A Google reverse image search found the photo was published by The New Straits Times (NST) newspaper on November 14, 2023 (archived link).

The article reported on the “emotional reunion” between Malaysian woman Nurul Ain Haron and her family at Kuala Lumpur International Airport after she and her Palestinian husband Mohamed A. M. Shaat were evacuated from Gaza.

Anwar has four daughters, but none are named Nurul Ain Haron. His daughters are Nurul Izzah Anwar, Nurul Ilham Anwar, Nurul Nuha Anwar and Nurul Hana Anwar.

AFP could not independently verify if any of them has a Palestinian husband.

<span>Comparison between the image shared in the false post (left) and the original image from New Straits Times with the correct context (right)</span>" data-src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/pdpI02213ICtaAGS6aJzXg–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU5MQ–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/afp_factcheck_us_713/72e01699d5bf557e601aec3c026c4dff"”/><img alt= — Comparison between the image shared in the false post (left) and the original image from New Straits Times with the correct context (right)

The New Straits Times published a video showing the couple’s reunion with Nurul Ain’s family at the airport (archived link).

The newspaper also wrote in a fact check that the couple was “in no way related” to the prime minister (archived link).

“The screengrab is actually that of a Malaysian, Nurul Ain Haron, and her Palestinian husband Mohamed A.M. Shaat,” it said.

Nurul Ain also posted a video on August 27 debunking false claims about her husband, in which she clarified she was not related to Anwar (archived link).

“It’s true that the prime minister and the government helped evacuate me from Gaza, but I am not related to him,” she said in Malay.

“To those spreading this false claim, please stop.”

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In conclusion, it is essential to fact-check information before sharing it to prevent the spread of misinformation and false claims. The case mentioned above highlights the importance of verifying sources and seeking reliable information to avoid misleading narratives. Let’s all strive to promote accuracy and truth in our digital interactions to create a more informed and responsible online community.

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