KUALA LUMPUR: Economic Affairs Minister Rafizi Ramli today denied claims that he had advised people not to buy items like chicken to help combat price hikes brought on by inflation.
He said this in response to a recent backlash he received after he was quoted as saying "by right, when the price of chicken increases, people should avoid buying chicken" at a press conference.
Rafizi, in a posting on Twitter account today, explained he aimed to control the price of goods by using "price elasticity."
"I was talking about the need to address the supply and demand side so that a more elastic consumer demand becomes a force to reckon with in influencing the price of goods," he wrote.
Rafizi said he was open to criticism and that "intelligent" members of the public would understand his point of view in presenting arguments.
"In a month, the Perikatan Nasional leaders are arguing on this topic (and) now (they) will be silenced.
"This is just like when they had other issues which started out as being controversial.
"When these matters were explained, intelligent members of the people began to understand them better," he added.
Citing other controversies he had faced before, Rafizi said he had never avoided controversial discussions if it meant that facing them could solve problems.
He shared the time when Pakatan Harapan (PH) supporters criticised him for speaking out against former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali in 2016.
Last March, Rafizi was also criticised for claiming that PH needed more than 80 seats in the general election to become the largest bloc.
"Don't be afraid of public opinion. God willing, rational people will understand the issue better and follow suit later," he said.