Zaid: Where are the probes into “secret” recordings?

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The authorities must reveal the outcome of investigations into “secret” recordings purportedly involving top politicians that have been leaked for the sake of public interest, says a former minister.

“There’s been a sex tape, allegedly featuring a senior minister and a recording of (a plot involving corruption) in the ‘scheme of things’ and now we hear about a call between the Umno and PKR president,” former de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim told FMT.

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Zaid was commenting on a viral recording of a purported phone conversation between Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim after the Umno annual general assembly.

Zahid, the former deputy prime minister, has since denied talking to Anwar, calling the recording a fake.

On the sex tape, Zaid was referring to allegations made by former Santubong PKR Youth chief Haziq Aziz in 2019 that he had engaged in homosexual acts with senior minister Azmin Ali.

Azmin had also denied the allegations and subsequently, then attorney-general Tommy Thomas decided against prosecuting those linked to the video as the identities of those in the footage could not be determined.

The “scheme of things” clip involves an alleged leaked audio recording of a PPBM Supreme Council meeting before the political turmoil in February last year.

In the clip, the voice of a man is heard proposing that PPBM join forces with Umno to form the largest Malay political party in the country. He said positions in government-linked companies could be offered to them as incentives.

“These recordings need to be looked at from many angles. Are they authentic? Is there a case for wire-tapping? Do the recordings show a crime being committed? If it is fake news, what action is taken against the websites which publish such claims?” said Zaid today.

He said such recordings, especially those linked to people in the government, raised serious questions on the rule of law, accountability and transparency, and this is why thorough investigations are needed.

“At the end of the day, institutions cannot be seen to play politics. They must act without fear or favour.

“Otherwise, no one will come here to invest. People, businesses must have confidence in our institutions and that they are not being abused.” – FMT