The phone call diplomacy of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has borne fruit after Iran has permitted Malaysian vessels to pass through the Straits of Hormuz.
This is very important because Malaysia, despite being an oil-producing nation, is still impacted by rising global oil prices, and nearly half of the country’s oil supply passes through the strait.
This sort of enterprising move should encourage the people of Malaysia to trust in us during these challenging and uncertain times following the attacks by Israel and the US on Iran.
Our own economy has been recovering steadily over the last few years as we grappled with a COVID-19 recession and the economic mismanagement best exemplified by the 1MDB financial scandal.
The government has had to balance the tightening of its belt with pushing more investments to drive further economic growth.
It has produced great rewards and we have been able to see Malaysia’s economy expand by 5.2% in 2025, exceeding the official forecast range. We have also delivered solid EPF dividends of 6.15 percent.
Through the government’s Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) initiative, targeted monthly support is helping to ease the burden faced by the people.
The government has also instituted measures such as its BUDI95 targeted petrol subsidy programme setting the quota for subsidized RON95 petrol at 200 litres per month at RM1.99 per litre for eligible citizens.
Nonetheless it is unavoidable that prices of basic items will be affected. The cost of living will rise.
That is why the government has introduced a Communications Command Centre under the National Economic Action Council to coordinate government messaging on the global energy crisis and the conflict in West Asia.
Despite the ups and downs, we are still sailing a steady ship and will do our best to alleviate the stresses caused by an unsteady global situation.
We urge Malaysians to unite and trust in our leadership and not to fall prey to despair.
We must also stay vigilant against those who would jeopardise our harmony by playing on identity politics and hate speech.
By: A. Kumaresan
This is a press statement written by A. Kumaresan, Batu Uban assemblyman.