Umno Youth deputy chief Khairul Azwan Harun and BN strategic communications deputy director Eric See-To said recent viewership on livestreams of PH ceramahs was dubious, saying four different live events had the exact same amount of viewers at any one time.

The duo cited as examples ceramahs by PPBM deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir and Youth chief Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman.

See-To said Facebook views could be bought, at RM600,000 for 200,000 views and RM30 million for 10 million views.

He said there was also the possibility of foreign intervention that could influence Malaysian voters through such tactics.

“Even in the elections of developed countries, foreign intervention is a concern,” he said.

“We don’t want anyone to hijack our democracy. Leave it to Malaysians. We also want the other side to explain if they have anything to do with this,” he said, adding that a “deputy president” of a party had been linked with Cambridge Analytica (CA), the UK-based company at the centre of a data manipulation scandal during the US presidential election campaign.

Meanwhile, Khairul said PH could be manipulating data to give the impression that the coalition has strong public support.

“I hope the people will not be fooled,” he said.

The claim of manipulating online viewership followed Prime Minister Najib Razak’s statement questioning the large crowds at PH events including in Putrajaya, claiming outsiders were brought in to the administrative capital using scores of buses.

Khairul said he expected the viewership could be manipulated again for Mahathir’s speech at 10pm tomorrow, adding that it could give the impression that 10 million people were watching.

Najib is also expected to deliver his message to voters tomorrow, in a speech to be carried live on several television channels.