Police to probe authenticity of audio clip, says minister

KUALA LUMPUR: Police will investigate reports lodged over an alleged recording of a phone conversation between Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.

“We will investigate to determine the authenticity of the recording and what the conversation was about. If the conversation did not take place, it means it is slander, ” he said after launching the start of the development of the National Integrated Immigration System (NIISe) here yesterday.

Hamzah said even if the conversation between Ahmad Zahid and Anwar was genuine, it was a matter for them to resolve.

“I heard the recording, Zahid had acknowledged Anwar as his ‘teacher’. Is it a crime for Anwar to be called a teacher if it (the audio) is true? Why are both of them getting upset for?” he asked.

Hamzah also alluded to the alleged conversation between the two leaders with regard to cooperation between Umno and PKR.

“Is it a crime if Umno wants to work with PKR? It is up to them to say if it is wrong, ” he said.

He also noted that if both leaders denied such a cooperation, there was no need for Anwar to make his previous claim of having the support of MPs in Parliament.

He said it was up to both Ahmad Zahid and Anwar to clarify the issue.Hamzah was asked if the police would investigate the alleged audio recording.

On Wednesday, a recording of a conversation between two voices sounding like Ahmad Zahid and Anwar went viral.

In the recording, two voices can be heard congratulating and thanking each other for putting up a good performance during the Umno general assembly and discussed the possible resignation of Umno ministers as well as the exit of Umno from the Perikatan Nasional government.