KUALA LUMPUR: Nine audio recordings including the infamous 'can I advise you something' were played at the Datuk Seri Najib Razak's corruption trial for siphoning funds belonging to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial.
The recordings were played as part of the testimony of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) senior officer Nur Aida Arifin, who served as the investigation officer of the case at the High Court today.
In 2020, former MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya, during a press conference, showcased nine audio clips, which was sent to the commission anonymously, of phone conversations between several prominent Malaysians.
One of the clips was alleged to be a phone conversation between Najib and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.
In the recording, a woman was heard asking a man if she could advise him on something. Her exact words: "Darling, can I advise you, can I advise you something!"
The man responded, "Ya, ya hang on, okay anything?"
In today proceedings, Nur Aida confirmed that the voices in the recording were Rosmah and Najib who was the prime minister at that time.
Nur Aida said she was able to identify those individuals because they were well-known individuals and she had also interacted with most of them during the investigation of the case.
Rosmah, who sat at the public gallery, was calm when the recording was played in a packed courtroom.
In addition to the voices of the couple, Nur Aida also confirmed other voices including former Attorney-General's Chambers legal officer Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad, former Baling member of parliament Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, Najib former chief private secretary Tan Sri Shukry Mohd Salleh, and Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohammad Zayed Al Nahyan.
She identified those individuals after being asked by the Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib during her testimony before presiding judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
However, the witness said she could not identify Sheikh Mohammad Zayed's voice, but his name was mentioned in the summary narrative accompanying the audio recordings she received.
Nur Aida said the conversation between Najib and Sheikh Mohammad Zayed pertained to the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) and 1MDB.
In a separate matter, Nur Aida said she was instructed to stop the investigation after the appointment of Dzulkifli as MACC chief commissioner replacing Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed in 2016.
"However, I cannot remember who instructed me to stop the probe," she added.
Najib, 70, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.