KUALA LUMPUR, Apr 10 — The government will focus on ensuring sufficient supply of fuel and basic goods to enable economic activities to continue, according to Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
He said fuel supply remains the biggest challenge during the global energy crisis, with the country’s priority being to ensure adequate availability.
“Based on views such as those from the World Bank, we know that the current crisis is a supply issue. Therefore, all available resources should be focused on guaranteeing the supply of fuel and basic goods to enable economic activities to continue,” he told Bernama.
He said this ahead of his appearance as a guest on the ‘Ruang Bicara’ programme titled ‘Addressing the Global Energy Crisis: Efforts to Strengthen Economic Resilience’, which was broadcast on Bernama TV last night.
On Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s assurance that Malaysia’s fuel supply can last until June, Akmal Nasrullah said he believes Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) will strive to ensure continued supply beyond that period.
“At the same time, we are also observing a trend in many countries to prioritise their domestic needs first.
“My medium-term expectation is that some countries may begin to view relationships (diplomacy) more like a barter system — what they can get and what we can offer.
“This will be one of the strategies that should be examined in depth to ensure that national interest is safeguarded in our relations with other countries,” he said.
Speaking later on the programme, Akmal Nasrullah said the global energy crisis is also seen as an opportunity for the government to drive initiatives such as the use of biodiesel.
“(We do not want biodiesel to be merely) an option or alternative that we have, only to be forgotten once the crisis subsides and supplies return.
“That is among the challenges — to change this situation so that our proactive efforts are not only to tackle the current crisis, but also to ensure that the resilience (of biodiesel) is more long term and intact,” he said.
