In the press conference, Lester claimed there is an audio recording of a phone conversation between Mahathir and Rewcastle Brown.
“(The recording will show that Mahathir) wanted Clare to write something against the (current Malaysian) government,” claimed the former journalist, who was accompanied by PMSP legal adviser Zakwan Hafiz Ahmad Ansari.
Lester said he was informed about the phone conversation and its contents by one “Amy Whitefield”, a clerk who recorded the conversation as part of Sarawak Report‘s practice. Asked to produce the recording, Zakwan said PMSP did not have it and it was up to the police to investigate the matter. He also claimed that Amy was willing to give up the said recording.
Amy responded to media requests with the following statement:
“Lester’s allegations are ludicrous and he is lying. I do not have any evidence to back up his statements and nor does he! I met Lester when I volunteered with Radio Free Sarawak back in 2011 in London.
I have not communicated with him since 2012. Lester initiated a couple of emails to me in 2014 but I never responded as I felt them to be a fishing exercise. Lester appears to have forgotten my surname showing just how little we have been in contact over the past few years. I do know Clare and continue to work with her.”