YOURSAY | ‘Whether the phone conversation is true or not, it is certainly not a crime.’

Cops to authenticate Anwar and Zahid's alleged voices in audio clip

Vijay47: I am glad that the police are taking steps to authenticate the identity of the two persons allegedly involved in that audio-clip conversation.

It does not matter that no offence appears to have been committed, that the protagonists in the tape have not made any outraged police report, and that the police can be expected to have more pressing work to attend to.

There are two objectives to be borne in mind - the public is keen to have confirmation since to add to our national misery, either or both of the persons supposedly participating could end up being our prime minister.

Before I continue, inspector-general of police Abdul Hamid Bador, let me digress to suggest that the tape be sent for verification by more reliable sources; you might recall that the last time you embarked on a similar mission regarding a video clip where two men were engaged in a boisterous display of amour, you informed that identification was not possible in view of the poor tape quality.

This despite the fact that the whole nation, including residents of the Home for the Blind, was easily able to say who the two stars were.

The second benefit is that we might be able to discern, following the recent brotherly performance in China, why our politicians seem prey to bouts of uncontrollable giggling or laughter.

IGP, the audio-tape matter raises three closely related, extremely disturbing facets. The first, ironically the minor one, is why you are investigating it. Since when has a conversation between two politicians, however unsavoury they may be, assumed elements of criminality?

From what could be discerned, there is nothing to suggest that the two were about to execute acts against the interests of the nation. So why the investigation by you?

What is also obvious is that there are forces in the country with all the freedom and facilities to hack and make recordings of telephone conversations. What are you doing about this illegal, yes, cartel? That should have been your greater concern than two aged men indulging in delusions.

Thirdly, how deep does this state of affairs extend to? How far does this recording net range? The common man will surely be alarmed whether he too, for all his innocence, is one of the secret victims? Is every commentator in Malaysiakini and like portals also a marked man?

Sadly, where crime is concerned, Abdul Hamid, you are the greatest disappointment.

Malaysia Bharu: The IGP must tell us why whatever Zahid and Anwar spoke over the telephone is a police matter? What law has been breached?

In the case of the Azmin Ali video, there was allegedly evidence of obscenity or more, clearly an offence under the Penal Code, but no action was taken till today.

The police should get their priorities right and stop wasting taxpayers’ money. The IGP should lead his men in the right direction of law enforcement and stop dancing to the tune of politicians who are the cause of all that is ailing in this country.

Kawak: When there is some element of crime in some incident involving certain VVIP politicians, no action is taken.

When two politicians from different parties communicate over the phone without infringing any law, the police are eager to probe. Impartial?

Oxymoronictendencies: Why the need to authenticate the audio clip? Either way, the illicit recording of the conversation is illegal, so surely they should be identifying the criminals who did it. Or perhaps that might embarrass the wrong people?

Are the police here to protect the rakyat and enforce the law or rather just to find ways to harass innocent individuals (in this case politicians) who are an embarrassment or headache to the government of the day?

Meanwhile, Ketereh MP Annuar Musa called for a religious oath to be taken by the parties involved. We have seen many politicians in the past take "religious oaths" and claim that it absolved them and proved their innocence.

I personally doubt the sincerity or substance of an oath given by a Malaysian politician - religious or otherwise.

Caripasal: This reminded me of the phone tapping involving German Chancellor Angela Merkel allegedly by US spies.

Malaysia is now a dangerous place as the phone tapping of the two most prominent politicians could be easily done, let alone ordinary people like you and me. The entire conversation is not illegal, but the phone tapping is.

The identity of individuals in the conversation is not important. It was not a crime for Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (even if it was truly him) to say whatever he had mentioned in the conversation (the objective of the leak is, however, obviously to force Zahid to resign).

The criminal is the person tapping the conversation. It must be a telco staff or someone powerful enough to gain access to recording it.

Police must investigate the tapping and not the individuals in the alleged recordings.

BlueShark1548: It is interesting that a private cell-phone conversation between two persons could be recorded by someone else. Who has the technology to do it?

The CIA has the technology. I guess the government may have this technology too, or was it obtained from the service provider?

The police should investigate this as there has been clearly a breach of privacy if the telephone conversation is true.

Bluemountains: Indeed, the conversation between two individuals is not illegal. But the wiretapping of the conversation is illegal.

When the authorities investigate the authenticity of the recording, the person who did the wiretapping will be easily identified.

Malaysians hope that it will not be another case of a crime without a criminal.

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