Here's Why PPBM's Mukhriz Mahathir Is In The Spotlight For The Cambridge Analytica Scandal
The party's deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir was Kedah's UMNO chief in GE13.
By Jia Vern Tham — 21 Mar 2018, 07:49 PM
After political data firm Cambridge Analytica (CA) admitted to having worked in Malaysia, it was alleged that Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM)'s deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir received advice from SCL Group in the 13th general elections (GE13)
In a statement yesterday, 20 March, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) claimed that CA was never hired by Barisan Nasional (BN) or "any part of the Government of Malaysia".
The statement went on to claim that SCL Group's country representative, Azrin Zizal, confirmed that he reported directly to Mukhriz and provided him with CA's advice for GE13.
London-based SCL Group is the parent company of CA, the firm currently under fire for allegedly exploiting Facebook data to help President Donald Trump win the 2016 US election.
Mukhriz was Kedah UMNO chief before he was appointed as the state's Menteri Besar following GE13, the same time CA claimed on its website that it helped BN to the Kedah victory
CA claimed to have supported BN's Kedah campaign in GE13, which led to the party's landslide victory in the state.
In a tweet yesterday, Mukhriz denied any contact between him and CA following the statement by PMO. He also admitted to knowing Azrin Zizal, head of the SCL Group in Malaysia.
According to Malay Mail Online, Mukhriz resigned from the post in February 2016 after the Regency council told him that he had lost majority support in the state legislative assembly.
Mukhriz also clarified that the strategies and tactics utilised for GE13 were his own, although CA claimed otherwise on its website.
"I never knew CA nor ever engaged them to do any work. If they claim to have been involved with Kedah in GE13, I was not aware of it," he said in a text message to Malaysiakini yesterday, 20 March.
"None of the strategies and tactics I employed as head of elections for Kedah BN during GE13 were in any way derived from advice from CA. Perhaps they were consulting with the Prime Minister's Office or BN's headquarters," Mukhriz added.
Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad also denied that Kedah BN engaged with CA during GE13
"There is no record of Kedah government as such doing that thing," he was seen saying in a video by The Star.
"Kedah never had any outside interference in our election," Mahathir added.
Responding to the PMO's statement, PPBM announced that the party will "seek the advice of its lawyers" to assess possible legal action against the federal government ministry
Malay Mail Online reported that the party's chief strategist Datuk Rais Hussin called the statement a "complete and blatant lie".
"We are not taking anything off the table including unleashing legal action against them...this is clear defamation and an attempt to smear Mukhriz," Rais said in an interview with Malay Mail Online.
What do you think about Cambridge Analytica's alleged involvement in GE13 so far? Let us know in the comments below.