Wee: Karmaine out of touch with reality

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong has slammed Pakatan Harapan candidate Karmaine Sardini over his remarks that palm oil smallholders should be grateful for the current price of palm oil.

Dr Wee, who is Ayer Hitam MP, said the remarks showed that Karmaine was out of touch with reality and insensitive towards the feelings of smallholders living in villages.

“I feel sad over his statement ... this only gives the impression that he does not know how hard life is for palm oil smallholders,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

It was reported that Karmaine had defended his remarks, saying: “What I meant was we should be grateful. No matter how much yields we got, we should be grateful.”

“Rezeki itu Allah yang tentukan

(Allah determines our sustenance).

As Muslims, we should be grateful with what we have. But it’s okay lah,” he added.

Dr Wee also condemned Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, who had reportedly held a closed door meeting to garner support from teachers of a vernacular school in Tanjung Piai.

“This is something unethical. They (Pakatan) always claim to champion fairness, yet they campaign this way. Why did they use the school facilities and government machinery?

“Didn’t Pakatan fight against the use of government machinery when campaigning” Have they forgotten their own words?” he asked.

He said Pakatan was desperate to resort to such campaign tactics.

“They may be desperate, but they cannot do this. They were willing to go against their principles when they were the Opposition,” he added.

A one minute, 19 second-video of Salahuddin in the closed door meeting had gone viral on social media.