It released nine audio clips purportedly featuring Najib, his wife Rosmah Mansor, ex-MACC chief Dzulkifli Ahmad as well as the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed Zayed Al Nahyan, in discussions over dealings linked to 1MDB and SRC International.
MACC said the clips would be handed over to police for investigation.
Chief commissioner Latheefa Koya said the clips were being played for the media for the first time.
“Dr Mahathir Mohamad too does not know about the recordings,” she added.
The clips were recordings of telephone calls between Jan 5, 2016 and July 29, 2016.
According to MACC, the others involved in the conversations were former attorney-generals Abdul Gani Patail and Mohamed Apandi Ali, Baling MP Abdul Azeez Rahim, Ihsan Perdana managing director Shamsul Anwar Sulaiman, former SRC International director Suboh Md Yassin, former SRC International CEO Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, Abdul Aziz Ismail and “Tan Sri Shukri”.
Apart from the UAE crown prince, there were also UAE president Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, IPIC chairman Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan and Mubadala Development Company CEO Khaldoon Al-Mubarak.
Najib’s step son Riza Aziz, former Bank Negara officer Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin and Umno’s Khairul Azwan Harun were also named by MACC.
MACC said one conversation between Najib and crown prince Sheikh Mohammed Zayed showed an attempt to cover up alleged money laundering activities in the production of Hollywood movie The Wolf of Wall Street produced by Riza.
Najib was heard asking the sheikh a “personal request”, so that another member of the UAE royal family, businessman Sheikh Mansour Zahyed Al Nahyan, “or whoever”, could sign an agreement passing the money off as a loan.
“And then it will look like a legitimate financing plan…” he said, adding that as a result of the agreement, it won’t be considered money laundering.
“The banks cleared the source of the money. He (Reza) was not aware at all where it came from. I don’t want him to be a victim when he was totally unaware. He genuinely believed it was from (inaudible) under the authority of Sheikh Mansour…”
The same phone call also revealed Najib and Sheikh Mohammed Zayed planning a meeting to resolve a matter “before it escalates” following the US Department of Justice’s (DoJ) announcement on July 20, 2016 of a civil forfeiture suit seeking to recover embezzled funds from 1MDB.
Najib was heard telling Sheikh Mohammed Zayed: “Here, we are experiencing a bit of dark cloud as a result of yesterday’s annoucnement by the Department of Justice.
“That’s why Your Highness, its important for us to resolve this impasse with respect to our 1MDB as soon as possible… It’s embarassing to both countries, embarrassing to Malaysia, embarrassing to UAE as well and personalities who are close to you.
“I wish that we can find a solution as soon as possible. It’s difficult to talk to you on the phone. Would it be possible for us to meet as soon as possible?”
In the first audio clip between Dzulkifly and Najib on Jan 5, 2016, Dzulkifly, who was deputy public prosecutor in the Attorney-General’s Chambers, was heard sharing investigation details, believed to be on the SRC International scandal.
Dzulkifly was also heard assuring Najib that he and Apandi would be able to legally “settle” the problem.
“At that time, he was still a deputy public prosecutor at the AGC.
“He made the call and the first person to answer the call was Rosmah. It was then passed to Najib.
“The conversation revolves around an investigation paper. There is an obvious leak of information from the AGC to the person we believe was a subject of investigation,” Latheefa said.
Meanwhile, giving details on the recordings, she said they were given the compilation just after the New Year. She added that for security reasons, she could not reveal the source or how MACC received it.
“From our investigations, we can guarantee the authenticity of the recordings,” she said, calling the revelations a “massive undermining” of independent institutions such as the AGC and the MACC.
She added that these revelations were not subjudice and may not affect the current trials as it concerned a new set of offences.
The MACC will conduct its own investigations but will hand the case over to the police, as most of the offences come under the Penal Code.
Latheefa said some of these offences were abuse of power, criminal conspiracy, and attempts at fabricating evidence.
“I don’t see how it is going to affect the trials as this is a matter of public interest,” adding that the matter compromised national security.
Latheefa added that some of the phone calls had preceded various events such as the appointment of Dzulkifly as the MACC chief commissioner on Aug 1, 2016 and former attorney-general Apandi Ali’s press conference on Jan 25, 2016 clearing Najib of charges from receiving funds from SRC International.