Mukhriz Mahathir

Summary

Mukhriz Mahathir is a Malaysian politician and businessman who served twice as Menteri Besar of Kedah — under Barisan Nasional (2013–2016) and Pakatan Harapan (2018–2020) — and twice as MP for Jerlun (2008–2013 and 2018–2022). The son of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, he co-founded PEJUANG in 2020 following his expulsion from BERSATU, and has served as the party's president since its establishment. Mukhriz is currently active in opposition-bloc politics, with PEJUANG's coalition alignment periodically the subject of public reporting.

Biography

Datuk Seri Mukhriz bin Mahathir (born 25 November 1964) is a Malaysian politician and businessman. He is the son of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, the fourth and seventh Prime Minister of Malaysia [1]. Mukhriz holds bachelor's degrees in business management from Sophia University, Tokyo, and in marketing from Boston University [2]. Before entering politics, he held corporate positions including managing director of M. Ocean Diving Sdn Bhd, chairman and managing director of OPCOM Holdings Berhad, and executive officer of Ajiya Bhd [3]. He entered politics after his father retired from the prime ministership, as Mahathir had reportedly directed that no family member involve themselves in politics while he held office [2]. Mukhriz won the Jerlun parliamentary seat in GE12 (2008) and served as Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry from 2009 to 2013 [1]. He served as the 11th Menteri Besar of Kedah from May 2013 to February 2016, and again as the 13th Menteri Besar from May 2018 to May 2020 [1]. He is one of only two Menteris Besar in Malaysian history to have served the position under two different political parties and coalitions [1]. Following his expulsion from BERSATU in May 2020, he co-founded Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (PEJUANG) and has served as its founding president since August 2020 [1]. In June 2026, PEJUANG was formally admitted into the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, with Mukhriz joining PN's Presidential Council [4][5].

Known for

Mukhriz Mahathir is known for serving as Menteri Besar of Kedah on two separate occasions under two different parties — first under Barisan Nasional (2013–2016) and again under Pakatan Harapan (2018–2020) — a distinction held by only two Menteris Besar in Malaysia's history [1]. He is also known for co-founding PEJUANG alongside his father Mahathir Mohamad in 2020 after their expulsion from BERSATU, and for steering the party's alignment into PN in June 2026 [4]. As a politician rooted in Kedah, he consistently emphasised state development, investment attraction, and public health funding throughout his parliamentary career [6].

Political positions

Mukhriz Mahathir's stated positions centre on Malay-Muslim political unity and national stability. Upon PEJUANG's admission into PN in June 2026, he framed the move as consistent with his stance that the interests of religion, race, and the nation should take precedence over party and individual interests [5]. During his tenure as Kedah Menteri Besar under PH, he prioritised investment attraction and sought to manage the state's inherited debt of approximately RM2.6 billion to the federal government [4]. As MP for Jerlun, he advocated for increased healthcare funding during the 2021 Budget debate, calling for expanded allocations to address non-communicable diseases such as cancer and diabetes, and for broader Covid-19 mass testing coverage including for undocumented workers [6]. He has consistently articulated concern about vote-splitting among Malay-based parties as a driver of electoral instability [4].

Education

1. c. 1987Graduated from Sophia University in Tokyo with a bachelor's degree in business management.⛓
2. c. 1989Graduated from Boston University with a bachelor's degree in marketing.⛓

Before politics

1. Pre-2004Held corporate positions including managing director of M. Ocean Diving Sdn Bhd, chairman and managing director of OPCOM Holdings Berhad, and executive officer of Ajiya Bhd. Also served as executive director of Perdana Peace Global Organisation and chairman of the board of Malaysian cancer vaccine company Bioven.⛓

Political career

1. July 2004Failed to win the Kubang Pasu UMNO Youth chief post; later secured the most votes of any candidate for an UMNO Youth executive council post in September 2004.⛓
2. March 2008Won the Jerlun parliamentary seat in GE12, defeating PAS's Idris Ahmad with a 2,205-vote majority.⛓
3. 2009Appointed Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry under the BN government; held the position until May 2013.⛓
4. 6 May 2013Sworn in as the 11th Menteri Besar of Kedah after contesting and winning the Ayer Hitam state seat in GE13, with BN winning 21 of 36 state seats.⛓
5. 3 February 2016Resigned as Menteri Besar of Kedah after losing majority support among state assemblymen, following a no-confidence declaration by UMNO Kedah leaders.⛓
6. June 2016Expelled from UMNO alongside Muhyiddin Yassin.⛓
7. August 2016Co-founded Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (BERSATU) alongside Mahathir Mohamad and others; became BERSATU's first Deputy President and Kedah State Chairman.⛓
8. 11 May 2018Sworn in as the 13th Menteri Besar of Kedah, leading a PH minority government after PH won 18 of 36 state seats in GE14. Simultaneously re-elected as MP for Jerlun.⛓
9. 31 March 2019Appointed chairperson of the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA), with the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.⛓
10. 17 May 2020Resigned as Menteri Besar of Kedah for the second time, citing loss of majority among state assemblymen following the 2020 Malaysian political crisis.⛓
11. 28 May 2020Expelled from BERSATU alongside Mahathir Mohamad and others after opting to sit with the opposition in parliament.⛓
12. August 2020Co-founded Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (PEJUANG) with Mahathir Mohamad; became the party's first and founding president.⛓
13. 19 November 2022Lost the Jerlun parliamentary seat in GE15 under the PEJUANG/GTA banner, receiving only 4.7% of votes (3,144) and forfeiting his election deposit.⛓
14. January 2023PEJUANG withdrew from the Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) coalition to focus on rebuilding the party. Senior leaders including Mahathir Mohamad subsequently resigned from PEJUANG.⛓
15. 22 June 2026PEJUANG formally admitted into Perikatan Nasional as a component party following a PN Supreme Council meeting. Mukhriz joined PN's Presidential Council and was allocated one seat in the upcoming Johor state election.⛓

Election history

• 2022Jerlun (Parliamentary)Lost4.7%⛓
• 2018Jerlun (Parliamentary)Won42.5%⛓
• 2013Ayer Hitam (State)Won⛓
• 2008Jerlun (Parliamentary)Won⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentThe Pakatan Harapan federal government appointed Mukhriz as chairperson of the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) in March 2019, a federal statutory body appointment consented to by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.⛓
• OppositionUMNO Kedah leaders, led by Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah, declared a loss of confidence in Mukhriz in January 2016, citing his inability to maintain a united party leadership; the move was widely reported as connected to his and his father's criticisms of then-Prime Minister Najib Razak.⛓
• ExpertUniversiti Malaya economist Edmund Terence Gomez, commenting in 2019 on Mukhriz's stake in Opcom Holdings, said that while there were no regulations against his involvement, once he became Kedah Menteri Besar he should have declared his equity and liquidated his holdings or placed them in a blind trust; Gomez noted the law was silent on the issue and called for a serious review.⛓
• VerifiedFactsMukhriz Mahathir lost his deposit in the 2022 general election in Jerlun, obtaining 3,144 votes (4.7% of ballots cast) against PN's Abd Ghani Ahmad who won with 31,685 votes and a majority of 20,456. Confirmed by Bernama and corroborated by The Star and Free Malaysia Today.⛓

Business interests (publicly reported)

Prior to entering politics, Mukhriz was a co-founder and substantial shareholder of Opcom Holdings Berhad, a manufacturer of optical fibre cables (Source: freemalaysiatoday.com/category/highlight/2021/02/11/mukhriz-and-wife-sell-off-opcom-shares). In February 2021, he disposed of 24.6 million Opcom shares, ceasing to be a substantial shareholder; his wife Norzieta Zakaria similarly disposed of 18 million shares through her company M Ocean Capital Sdn Bhd (Source: freemalaysiatoday.com/category/highlight/2021/02/11/mukhriz-and-wife-sell-off-opcom-shares). In 2019, Opcom's share price attracted scrutiny after the PH government announced the National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (NFCP); Opcom subsequently issued a statement clarifying it was not involved in the plan as it lacked the necessary licences to qualify for tenders (Source: freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2019/09/09/as-opcom-shares-rise). He also previously held positions at Kosmo Tech, served as executive director of the Perdana Peace Global Organisation, and as chairman of the board of directors of Bioven, a Malaysian cancer vaccine company (Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mukhriz_Mahathir).