THE following is a transcript of a conversation former prime minister Najib Razak had with his wife, Rosmah Mansor, about her unhappiness at how they were painted as “villains” over the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission today released audio recordings of conversations that Najib and high-ranking government officials had in 2016. 

The anti-graft body said these recordings could lead to more charges of abuse of power against Najib and Rosmah. 

MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya said the six-minute clip of Najib and Rosmah speaking was recorded on July 27, 2016, at 12.46pm.

In it, the names of high-profile individuals from the United Arab Emirates are mentioned.

They are Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Mubadala Development Company chief executive Khaldoon Al-Mubarak and UAE deputy prime minister and Mubadala’s vice-chairman Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan.

Mubadala subsidiary International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC), had guaranteed bonds issued by 1MDB, and Najib wanted to prevent 1MDB’s non-payment of the bonds from becoming an issue.

A settlement between 1MDB and IPIC was negotiated by Najib’s government before Barisan Nasional lost the general election in 2018, and is now being challenged by Pakatan Harapan. 

The clip touches on Najib’s aversion to settling the dispute with Mubadala and IPIC in court.

Rosmah expresses her distress at then MACC chief Abu Kassim Mohamed’s moves to investigate and make statements about 1MDB, and his impending replacement with Dzulkifli Ahmad.

Abu Kassim had announced his desire to resign on June 23, 2016, and he stepped down on August 1 that year.

Abu Kassim has been brought out of retirement after PH took over the government in 2018 to be director-general of the National Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Centre.

Rosmah also instructs her husband to call a meeting with Khaldoon to settle the bond dispute and on shielding her son, movie producer Riza Aziz, from accusations of impropriety.

Also mentioned are Amhari Effendi Nazarudin, who was then Najib’s special officer and one of the prosecution’s witnesses in Najib’s ongoing SRC International trial.

The following transcript has been translated from Bahasa Melayu in some parts and edited for clarity.

Najib: Datin.

Rosmah: Ah, Datuk, ya.

Najib: Hi.

Rosmah: Hi. (Raises voice) Can I advise you something?

Najib: Ya, ya, ok. Anything?

Rosmah: You still don’t listen to me. They tell you to slow down on Abu Kassim, but Abu Kassim is making statements. He is taking pictures with Pak Lah. He is looking like a hero and you, the villain. And all these five people, can’t they see that their first priority is you, not anybody else?

Najib: Which five people?

Rosmah: In your office, lah. (Mentions names, some inaudible)…Amhari, Tengku. We are painted as the villains.

Najib: No, no, I allowed Azwan to make the statement. (Inaudible)

Rosmah: Ok, make the statement, fine. Now, today Abu Kassim is in Berita Harian, why is it they allow Abu Kassim to take pictures with Pak Lah? He has the cheek to thank Pak Lah and everybody else except you, and that’s not fair.

Najib: Hmm, hmm, understand, understand. I’ve already signed the letter for Dzul’s appointment.

Rosmah: (inaudible). I don’t like this. Darling, you are the prime minister, you should take in charge, not anybody else, OK?

Najib: Yup, I understand.

Rosmah: You’ve got goons around you. I told (inaudible name), if you want to help Datuk Seri, why aren’t you helping him? The moment this happened you should have approached him, ask how can I help. Now, after one week, (inaudible). I don’t understand. I complained against Abu Kassim (inaudible) and now you come to inform. I don’t understand (inaudible).

Najib: That’s what Amhari told me. I said, you go and talk to Khaldoon. Try to convince him that there is no point going for arbitration. If we go for arbitration, everybody will get hurt. I can speak to the crown prince, but the Arab style is he needs to consult Khaldoon first.

Rosmah: You can’t blame the crown prince, that is their culture. We have to work around their culture. Maybe Khaldoon should come here and talk to you and Amhari and settle it. That’s how I feel. Not talking over the phone. Invite him, sort it out once and for all.

Najib: That’s a good idea, we can invite him here, I’ll tell him that.

Rosmah: And then in the meantime, we can also sort out Riza. Riza’s problem is that somewhere along the line the (inaudible) was not completed. That’s all.

Najib: Sure, sure.

Rosmah: Bring him here, a lot of things can be solved.

Najib: OK, I can suggest to Amhari.

Rosmah: Then we tell the crown prince that Khaldoon is here to talk to us and settle it once and for all.

Najib: A lot of things are moving already. These people, they want to see some movement on the other side, the Chinese side. The Chinese side is moving already.

Rosmah: Invite him here immediately. And tell the crown prince Khaldoon is here (inaudible) that Sheikh Mansour wants to solve this, we want to solve this.

Najib: OK, OK, I’ll speak to Amhari after this.

Rosmah: Or, or, you talk to Khaldoon, please come here, let’s solve everything at one go. – January 8, 2020.