Leaked Anwar-Zahid audio: We’re missing the point

[superadmin]

The police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission must probe this issue to find out who did the tapping – if this is not a fake audio – and level criminal charges against that person or persons.

Older people would remember that Richard Nixon was forced to resign as president of the United States over a tapping incident which became known as the Watergate Scandal.

A leaked audio of a purported conversation between Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim has gone viral and is the latest hot topic.


Members of the public are sharing reports about the matter and politicians are weighing in, as usual, on the purported conversation and what it means. Some people – especially those against Zahid and Anwar – are excited about this for, if true, it shows the leaders in opposing camps have been playing a game.

I am fine with people discussing such issues and I too would like to know if it is true or not, but I think we may be missing the most substantial point in the current debate.

It has been alleged that Anwar (or the voice purported to be that of Anwar) congratulated Zahid for proposing to members that Umno sever ties with Perikatan Nasional (PN), and on the outcome of the recent Umno general assembly.


Zahid (or the voice purported to be that of the Umno president) is reported to have suggested, among other things, that the public statement about “No Anwar, no PPBM, no DAP” in forming any alliance to face the general election was a “tactical” move.

Zahid is also alleged to have said: “You know who my teacher is right? My teacher is the person I am talking to right now.”

The Umno president, who is facing 47 charges related to graft and abuse of power, has denied that he had spoken to Anwar after the Umno assembly.

“I was utterly disappointed and shocked over the spread of an audio recording, allegedly between me and Anwar,” he said, adding that he had instructed his officer to lodge a police report for an investigation to identify the mastermind behind this.

Among the politicians who have commented on this leaked audio is former Barisan Nasional secretary-general Annuar Musa who said: “I am 100% sure that the voices are genuine.”

He said he had listened to the audio repeatedly and because he was familiar with Zahid and Anwar he was convinced the voices belonged to them. Annuar has called on Zahid to come clean.

Outspoken Umno MP and former minister Nazri Aziz said: “I’m urging the home minister to investigate since a police report has been made. We cannot leave it just like that. We really want to know whether it’s true or fake. Only an investigation by the police will give us the real story.”

Nazri, of course, has been calling on Zahid to relinquish his post as Umno president as he is seen as a liability to the party because of the charges hanging over his head.

Let me state here that I too feel Umno can reform and perform better in the next general election if Zahid were to step down, at least until his court cases are cleared.

I too agree that an investigation should be carried out into the latest leaked audio. If it is fake, it could be considered slanderous. If it is true, it would mean PKR and Umno are cooperating.

However, the investigation should be into how, if the audio clip is genuine, someone was able to tap into the telephone conversation of private citizens.

There is nothing criminal about Anwar and Zahid speaking on the phone even if they are in opposition parties. Malaysians have come to expect politicians to plot against each other and backstab each other to stay in power or to gain power, especially after the “Sheraton Move” of 2020.

We know that before the “Sheraton Move” that toppled the Pakatan Harapan government, PPBM leaders and some PKR leaders had discussed tactics with leaders of PAS and Umno.

But there was nothing criminal about it. It might be unethical, but not criminal.

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