PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has underscored the importance of preventing tensions in West Asia from escalating into a wider conflict among Muslim countries.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this was conveyed during a second round of discussions held recently with the leaders of Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Turkiye.
"During the discussions, we (Malaysia) also expressed our concern because, while the perpetrators are Israel and its supporters, the impact is felt throughout the Muslim world, particularly in the Middle East, Turkiye and Azerbaijan.
"Now, as a result of the protracted warfare and continuous attacks, we are witnessing ramifications across the world," he said during the launch of the Mushaf Malaysia Madani here on Monday (March 16).
Anwar said the Iranian Foreign Minister also assured him that tensions arising from its conflicts with Israel and the United States would not escalate into skirmishes among Muslim countries.
"It is a difficult and complex situation. When a country faces this sort of sheer display of arrogance, even what I would describe as a neo-imperialistic design, it is difficult to simply ask them to restrain themselves," he said.
The Prime Minister also reiterated Malaysia's concern over the plight of Palestinians in Gaza and cautioned against attempts to exploit the crisis for political gain.
Anwar stressed that unity and cooperation are essential to sustaining peace and prosperity.
"We have witnessed the suffering of our brothers and sisters, not only in Iran but across the region. Calamities are afflicting the entire region, particularly impacting the poor.
"Yet some irresponsible elements are exploiting the situation and using it as a political weapon, weaponising it for attacks," he said.
On the domestic front, the Prime Minister said the situation in West Asia had led to significant and tangible economic repercussions for Malaysia, including higher subsidy commitments to maintain fuel prices.
He said maintaining the current RON95 petrol price was part of the government's efforts to ease the people's burden, noting that Malaysia's fuel prices remained among the lowest globally compared with several neighbouring countries.
However, he said the current situation was imposing a substantial fiscal strain on the government.
"It is costing us an additional RM2bil in subsidies each month to maintain the current price," he said, adding that if prices rise further, the subsidy bill will increase accordingly.
Anwar said that despite criticism from some quarters, the government would continue to weigh the implications carefully while prioritising the welfare of the people, particularly the poor. – Bernama
