ANWAR DENIES INVOLVEMENT
He instructs his officer to lodge a police report to find out who distributed recording
PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has denied involvement in a viral audio recording of a conversation purportedly between him and his Umno counterpart Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Anwar said he had instructed his officer to lodge a police report to find out the “mastermind” behind the dissemination of the recording.
“I want to say that this is (a ruse) to use us (PKR as a tool) in the political infighting in Umno, to use the purported conversation between Zahid and I (to provoke) Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia into attacking Umno leaders.
“This is not my work. That is why I have instructed the officer to lodge a police report. Let them investigate and find out who is the culprit,” Anwar said when launching the Selangor PKR operations room on Wednesday.
He said the dissemination of the recording was not a new strategy among political enemies and expressed confidence that the Pakatan Harapan coalition would not be influenced by the allegations.
He said the dissemination of the audio recording was done by those with malicious intent and who were desperate enough to commit slander.
“This is an old tactic. We need to be mature and independent. We must face this (challenge) boldly.
“This will not derail our efforts in revealing their lies and corruption.
“It shows that the country’s leadership is desperate enough and would lie, threaten and bribe. If (someone) rejects (bribery), then they will commit slander instead.”
The four-minute audio clip of the alleged conversation between Zahid and Anwar has gone viral.
The conversation started with Zahid’s speech at the recent Umno general assembly, during which he had said the party would not accept Anwar, DAP, and Bersatu as allies.
Also discussed was the need to have an emergency Supreme Council meeting to leave the Perikatan Nasional government.
Zahid denied having the phone conversation with Anwar.
Bernama reported Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah as saying that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and CyberSecurity Malaysia had yet to receive a report on the matter.
“If there are reports lodged, these cases will be investigated by CyberSecurity (Malaysia),” he said before an audience with Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail at Istana Arau yesterday.
An aide to Zahid said the Bagan Datuk member of parliament would lodge a police report today.