Clefairy was intended to be Ash's starting Pokémon in the pilot episode of the cartoon.

The statement is true. In the original concept for the pilot episode of the Pokémon cartoon, Clefairy was indeed intended to be Ash's starting Pokémon. However, due to marketing decisions and the popularity of Pikachu, the creators ultimately decided to use Pikachu as Ash's main Pokémon instead. This change allowed for Pikachu to become the iconic and beloved Pokémon companion we know today.