Respect due process in Najib's audio clips, Anwar reminds MACC

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim today said due process must be respected even in light of arguments that former premier Najib Abdul Razak's audio recordings revealed by the MACC could be used as evidence in his ongoing trial.

"Although there are concerns about gross injustices in the past, that this would help provide a remedy, I still think we should respect the due process," Anwar (photo) told reporters when met after a forum hosted by the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (Istac) in Kuala Lumpur.

Given concerns raised following MACC's move to reveal Najib's telephone conversations, Anwar said he believes its chief Latheefa Koya should provide further clarifications.

"There are concerns on privacy issues, (tapping of) phone conversations between husband and wife.

"But the argument that justice could be upheld with the facts and information revealed must also be taken into account," he said.

Quizzed whether he believed MACC's move could disrupt the ongoing proceedings against Najib, Anwar said: "That I'm not sure".

"But I do think that this matter (audio recordings) should be handed over to the police and taken to court if it is admissible evidence," he said.

On Wednesday, the MACC had released audio recordings of several telephone conversations from 2016 - linked to the 1MDB scandal - between Najib and several other individuals, including his wife, Rosmah Mansor.

All the conversations took place between January and July 2016.

Latheefa said the commission received the recordings from anonymous sources after the new year. She also said that forensic tests concluded the recordings were authentic and not tampered with.

Latheefa said the recordings would be handed over to the police, but it was first revealed to the media as it concerned an issue of public interest.

Najib had initially said he was shocked by the revelation, although he later denied being scolded by what sounded on the audio clip like an irate Rosmah.

Najib's lead counsel in his ongoing criminal trials related to 1MDB, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, also said they are considering to initiate contempt action against MACC and Latheefa. - Mkini