Speaking at a forum organised by the National Council of Professors, the PKR president claimed the government was using the purported audio clip to distract the people from issues of corruption plaguing the country.
“Even if it’s (audio clip) genuine, what’s the issue here? Are there any elements of treason, corruption or crime there?” he said when answering a question by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia professor Mohammad Agus Yusoff.
“Firstly, if the audio is genuine, who did it? To distribute it and to spy on others is wrong.
“Secondly, why is the home minister (Hamzah Zainudin) so bothered? Have we not heard about other (purported) audio and video clips before? There are many (out there).
“It seems this so-called Anwar-Zahid clip is being used merely for political capital.”
Both leaders have denied they were the ones talking in the audio clip, which is claimed to have been recorded soon after the Umno general assembly last month which had decided there should be no political cooperation with Anwar, PPBM and DAP in the coming general election.
Anwar previously claimed the sound clip was an attempt by the country’s leaders to resort to tricks after failing to threaten or induce people into supporting them.
Following this, Hamzah said his ministry will investigate the authenticity of the clip. Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador also urged both Zahid and Anwar to lodge reports to enable investigations to begin.
Anwar said nothing had been done about a previous unconfirmed audio recording of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is PPBM president, allegedly enticing Umno leaders to join his party with promises of positions in the Cabinet and government-linked companies.
“That means Umno leaders can be bought … that’s why some jumped (parties) because they wanted to look after their own interests and not the Umno members or the Malays who they claimed to be representing.”
Anwar claimed the audio clip was being used to divert the attention of the people from the corruption that is spreading now and the suspension of Parliament.
Asked whether he would heed the call to make a police report, Anwar said: “I have issued a statement and so has Zahid. That’s enough, move on.”
He added there were more important issues like unemployment, poverty and matters affecting the Malays and Bumiputeras which need to be addressed.
Meanwhile, a pro-Anwar group, Gerakan Reformasi 98 (Gerak98), said there was no issue even if the audio clip was authentic.
Speaking at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, the group’s leader, Mohamad Ezam Md Nor, said this was because nothing in the clip went against the “spirit of reforms”.
He added that if PKR wants to work with Umno in the next general election, it must be subject to strict conditions, including that it cannot involve “dictators” and those tainted by corruption.