TG PIAI POLLS | The dwindling oil palm price is a key issue for the smallholders who make up a segment of voters in the Tanjung Piai by-election.
MCA is putting the blame squarely on the Pakatan Harapan government.
However, Bersatu's candidate for the Nov 16 polling, Karmaine Sardini, says oil palm growers - especially those in villages - should be grateful for the current price.
Speaking at a ceramah in the Penerok polling district last night, Karmaine said Pakatan Harapan has been getting complaints that oil palm fruit prices have gone down to RM270 per tonne.
"We should be grateful for RM270. Actually, RM270 is a lot, it's not that little.
"If they have 10 acres, they can get five tonnes of fruits at least... Times that with RM270 and that is over RM1,000.
"If you live in a village you, what do you really have to pay for? If you want to eat vegetables, you can grow it yourselves. You only need to pay for fuel.
"You have to be grateful for this, even if it is just a bit, we can still eat," Karmaine said.
He also said that things were worse under BN once, claiming that prices had dropped to as low as RM87 per tonne.
According to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, the price per tonne of fresh oil palm fruit bunches (FFB) in the southern region for Nov 1 ranges from RM421 for Grade C fruits and RM466 for Grade A.
India's boycott call
The Harapan government has been aggressively promoting palm oil for domestic and foreign consumption and use.
However, recently one major foreign buyer, India, has called for a boycott of Malaysian palm oil.
This came after Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said India had invaded and occupied Kashmir.
MCA is playing on the issue heavily in the party’s campaign speeches in Tanjung Piai.
MCA president Wee Ka Siong said India's snub of Malaysian palm oil because of Mahathir's remarks would only bring down prices further.
"The price will keep dropping, and this will make the smallholders in Tanjung Piai suffer," Wee said at a ceramah in Pekan Nanas last Saturday.
The Tanjung Piai by-election will see a six-way fight.
The two main candidates are Karmaine and MCA's Wee Jeck Seng (above, in pink T-shirt).
The other candidates are Berjasa's Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz, Gerakan's Wendy Subramaniam and independent candidates Ang Chuan Lock and Faridah Aryani Abd Ghaffar.
During the last general election, Bersatu's Mohd Farid Mohd Rafik garnered 21,255 votes against MCA's Jeck Seng, who received 20,731 votes, winning by a 524-vote margin. - Mkini
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