KUALA LUMPUR — Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has denied that a recording of a telephone conversation between him and wife Rosmah Mansor as released by the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) was of him getting scolded and schooled on how to run the country.

Najib, speaking at the sidelines of his SRC International RM42 million (S$13.86 million) corruption trial, however, did not deny that it was indeed a conversation between him and Rosmah that was heard in the MACC’s recordings, adding it was the right of every Malaysian to have conversations with their wife.

“There is no scolding, conversations between my wife and I are private; you also speak to your wife, what's wrong with that?” he said.

Najib stressed that it was normal and within the right of any couple to discuss their daily affairs over the phone, as long as the conversation does not get leaked to the public.

“No, no, no, everyone can give their views there is no problem, but I make the final decision,” said Najib when quizzed on whether he was getting an earful from his spouse on how to run the country as the recordings had suggested.

Najib also said he and his legal team would investigate to establish if tapping into phone calls made by a sitting prime minister is against any law, considering how the recordings were of purported conversations from 2016.

He also pointed out how revealing conversations between heads of governments could have an adverse effect on diplomatic ties between Malaysia and other countries.

“Tapping of the conversation that was done against a prime minister, even more with other heads of governments, and this can cause an effect to the diplomatic relationships between Malaysia and other countries,” he added.

At a special press conference at the MACC headquarters this morning, MACC chief Latheefa Koya released recordings of conversations between Jan 5, 2016 and July 29 that same year, around the period when the US Justice Department announced its anti-kleptocracy investigation into 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

During Ms Latheefa’s press conference, Najib was testifying in his own defence in his SRC International RM42 million corruption trial.

Aside from Najib and Dzulkifli, other recorded conversations involving Najib’s wife, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Umno’s Baling Member of Parliament Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim and several foreign dignitaries were also revealed on Wednesday. MALAY MAIL