PETALING JAYA: Former primary industries minister Teresa Kok should ask the oil palm smallholders if they prefer the palm oil prices now, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (pic).

       The MCA president and Kok have been in the midst of an argument on social media after Dr Wee had claimed that the former Pakatan Harapan government’s poor relations with countries such as India and China had caused palm oil prices to drop during its time in power.

       Kok denied the claim and said that price fluctuations were due to various factors such as supply and demand, global weather, production yields, prices of other oil crops, as well as the policies of producers and importers.

       She went on to say that Dr Wee that, as a Cabinet minister, should know that prices were set by the market and not determined by diplomatic relations.

       However, the Ayer Hitam MP has now shot back by challenging Kok to ask the smallholders in Johor for herself which government they prefered.

       "It's easy. Go and ask them yourself, the smallholders in Johor, who include DAP members. Do they prefer the price of palm oil today or when the Pakatan Harapan government was in power?

       "Do you dare to ask?" he said in a Facebook post on Sunday (Feb 6).

       Meanwhile, Dr Wee attended the Barisan Nasional northern Johor election machinery.

       He said the event, which was officiated by Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, was held at the Seri Pekembar complex in Pagoh.

       He added that caretaker mentri besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad would be the coalition's election chief coordinator.

       "His (Hasni's) speech was full of spirit and he wants the Johor election to showcase the state's multiracial society of Johor," he said.