He said the country was not in need of such a task force.

“It is a PR move by the government to show (to the people) that it is serious (about the issue) and that it cares about the people,” he said in the “Anthony Jawab Jujur” talk, a weekly programme streamed online.

Loke said the National Action Council on Cost of Living should be the body entrusted to deal with such issues.

He also questioned why communications and multimedia minister Annuar Musa was appointed to chair the task force when it should be chaired by domestic trade and consumer affairs minister Alexander Nanta Linggi.

“The communications and multimedia ministry is just a propaganda (ministry),” he claimed.

The six-member task force also consists of finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, agriculture and food industries minister Ronald Kiandee, Nanta, economic affairs minister Mustapa Mohamed and chief secretary to the government Zuki Ali.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had said the task force was to formulate strategies aimed at tackling inflation and the rising prices of goods.

The creation of the task force was criticised by various parties, including former law minister Zaid Ibrahim and former international trade and industry minister Rafidah Aziz.

On GE15, Loke brushed off claims that Pakatan Harapan (PH) was not keen on an early election as the coalition was afraid of losing.

He said that was never the case.

He said PH was merely waiting for the “right time so that there would be a level playing field for all political parties”.

“We want a healthy democratic process.”

The Barisan Nasional leadership, especially Umno leaders aligned to party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, is pushing for the general election to be held this year.