It wasn’t me, says Ahmad Zahid, denying that it was him who was speaking to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in an audio clip that has since gone viral on social media.
Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has strongly denied knowledge of an audio clip between him and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim which has been making its rounds via social media.
In a statement today, Zahid also denied that the conversation with Anwar took place after the Malay party’s general assembly recently.
“I was utterly disappointed and shocked over the spread of an audio recording, allegedly between me and Anwar.
“As such, I have instructed my officer to immediately lodge a police report for an investigation to identify the mastermind behind this scheme of thing,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid was referring to a leaked audio clip of two voices similar to his and Anwar’s discussing the former’s speech during the recent Umno AGM on March 28 that had gone viral.
Ahmad Zahid said the recording was a political attempt to weaken Umno.
“This is a political play which is evil and proves that there are continuous efforts to weaken and destroy Umno.
“I believe more dirty tricks such as this will continue to try to belittle and destroy Umno.
“As Umno president, I will not violate or turn my back on whatever that has been decided by the Umno supreme council and the Umno AGM,” he said.
The conversation, among others, suggested that there was an understanding between Anwar and Zahid to work together politically.
The speaker who sounded like Zahid said the speech was tactically easy as he received a strong mandate from Umno delegates.
“You know who my teacher is. My teacher who taught this speech is the person I am talking to,” he said.
The speaker sounding like Anwar replied that discussions between PKR and Umno will continue and that the Umno assembly speech was also discussed by the PKR central leadership council (MPP).
“It’s just that people who don’t know the background of DAP are worried…but when they reach the ‘conclusion’, it’s much better than the MT decision. Before this, they waited for the election, but this is not the case, at any time,” he said.
The two also talked about the Perlis Umno chairman Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, who was rejected by the delegates when he spoke at the assembly.
The person who sounded like Anwar then said he had hoped that an Umno minister would resign after the assembly, but this did not happen.
“It’s just that no minister resigned, no one is brave, only Perak, Shamsul (Datuk Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah), if he can (resign), if he said ‘I (Shamsul) respect the mood of the assembly, I am an Umno person, I obey’ …take it, but it doesn’t matter who we see,” he said.
Towards the end, the same speaker said their efforts would continue.
“It’s just that now it’s not over…we have a little more…if you can face the meaning you have an ’emergency’ MT you know, I’m afraid you won’t be able to answer like now,” he said.
He then thanked the person sounding like Zahid and jokingly asked him to tell Zahid’s wife, Datin Sero Hamidah Khamis, that her husband made him proud.
“Alhamdulillah, tell Midah (Hamidah), this is the first time that Anwar is proud,” he said before the clip ended.
Last October, a purported letter of support signed by Ahmad Zahid and sent to the Palace supporting Anwar as the next prime minister was circulated.
Ahmad Zahid never denied the letter, but he has stuck to “No DAP No Anwar” during the Umno supreme council meetings.
In recent days, some Umno and Barisan Nasional leaders had challenged Ahmad Zahid to deny that he was working with Anwar.