PUTRAJAYA, Jan 8 — In the shocking revelation of audio recordings made possible by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) this morning showing conspiracy at the highest level of the Barisan Nasional (BN) government then, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor was heard directing her husband and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on how to take charge and manage the 1MDB scandal that erupted in 2016.

At a special press conference at the MACC headquarters here, MACC chief Latheefa Koya played the 45-minute recording that included conversations between January 5, 2016 and July 29 that same year, around the period when the US Justice Department announced its anti-kleptocracy investigation into 1MDB.

Those implicated in the conspiracy to cover up the 1MDB and SRC International scandals were ex-MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Umno’s Baling MP Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim and several foreign dignitaries including Mubadala Development Company (MDC) chief executive Khaldoon Al Mubarak and Najib’s special officer Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin.

Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is pictured at the Kuala Lumpur High Court January 8, 2020. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

Part of the audio excerpt included a phone conversation between Najib and Rosmah that started off with the latter screaming angrily to Najib.

July 27, 2016, 12.46am (Conversations between Najib and Rosmah)

Rosmah: *screaming* Can I advise you something?!

Najib: *sounding frantic* Ya ya, anything?

Rosmah: They tell you to slow down but Abu Kassim is talking, making statements and taking pictures with Pak Lah. Ay! They are making him the hero and you are the villain you see. And all this people can’t they see the priority is you and not anybody else.

Najib: Who are these people?

Rosmah: Ya la, your office la. Azwan, Tengku has convinced, Amhari also.

Najib: No, no, no I allowed Azwan to make a statement because there was a good impact already.

Rosmah: OK fine, why they allowed Abu Kassim to take a picture with Pak Lah. So please darling…

Najib: No, I already signed the letter for Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad (refers to the abrupt appointment of Dzulkifli as the MACC chairman back then),

Rosmah: I don’t like this. Darling, you are the prime minister, you should take charge not the anybody around you okay? And you got goons around you.

Najib: Ummm, ummm.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Latheefa Koya speaks during a press conference at MACC headquarters in Putrajaya January 8, 2020. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

Today, Latheefa said the full recordings will be handed over to the police for further investigations.

Latheefa declined to explain how the MACC obtained the recordings but said her team of forensics experts verified that they were real.

"We have been given the recordings... pursuant to investigations, we can confirm their absolute authenticity.

"The contents are shocking; it’s a cover-up and subversion of justice... In the public interest, we’re making public the contents,” she said of the nine sets of audio clips of about 45-minute duration.