KUALA LUMPUR – An Umno Supreme Council member has questioned the extent to which the privacy of phone conversations between individuals is protected in Malaysia, following the release of an audio clip purportedly of Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and his PKR counterpart Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
In a Facebook post today, Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi described the clip, which has gone viral, as being clearly politically motivated, regardless of whether it is genuine.
“Who is behind the recording? The state of emergency was supposed to reduce politicking, but that seems to be the order of the day.
Details of the conversation were very clear and of high quality. This must have involved the use of sophisticated equipment that a layman would not be able to afford.
“Is this a ‘conspiracy of the highest level’? This is no ordinary work, no?”
He recalled a similar incident in January last year, when then Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Latheefa Koya revealed to the press a series of phone conversations implicating former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal.
One of the clips is said to feature a conversation between Najib and United Arab Emirates Crown Prince Mohammed Zayed Al Nahyan.
Puad warned those involved in producing the recording purportedly of Zahid and Anwar to learn from Latheefa’s alleged mistake.
“Since 2018, the UAE has not invested in Malaysia.
“(Instead,) the UAE invested nearly RM130 billion in Indonesia.”
He called on Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also Perikatan Nasional chairman and Bersatu president, to explain why he returned from his recent trip to the UAE empty-handed.
Puad stressed that the PN government is secure, as Parliament is unable to convene for MPs to deliberate on the latest recording.
Due to the suspension of Parliament under the emergency imposed by the PN administration, lawmakers cannot demand for a royal commission of inquiry or call on the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, via the House, to investigate the clip and ascertain its authenticity.
Malaysia’s Watergate?
The former Batu Pahat MP described the latest scandal involving the top leaders of rivals Umno and PKR as a “dark day” in the country’s democracy.
He cited the United States’ 1972 Watergate scandal, in which then president Richard Nixon, a Republican, was forced to resign after the Democratic Party’s office was infiltrated and wiretapping equipment used to steal information.
Puad said the clip purportedly of Zahid and Anwar was released a day after Najib received a bankruptcy notice from the Inland Revenue Board.
He predicted that the “cruel” politicking will not end here, saying recordings of phone conversations related to the party-hopping “cluster” of MPs are likely to emerge as the government does not have a clear majority.
In a statement earlier, Zahid denied having had the recorded conversation with Anwar.
He has ordered his officer to lodge a police report on the matter, to identify the mastermind behind the political “scheme”.
In the clip, “Zahid” and “Anwar” exchanged pleasantries, with the latter saying it was his first time following the Umno assembly in full in the last 22 years, and describing the former’s speech as good.
The opposition leader also seemed to congratulate “Zahid”, saying he was proud of the latter over the speech given, to which “Zahid” said it was Anwar who taught him.
In the conversation, “Anwar” said it would be good if one of Umno’s ministers resigned from the PN cabinet, but noted that none has the courage to do so. “Zahid” replied by calling Umno ministers “cowards”.
The two are known to be old friends, going back to the late 1990s when Anwar was Umno deputy president and Zahid, the party’s Youth chief. – The Vibes, April 7, 2021
