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SINGAPORE – Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim on April 20 stressed the importance of diplomatic efforts as both South-east Asian neighbours focus on strengthening supply and energy resilience during the Middle East war.<\/p>\n
Both leaders agreed on the importance of sustained diplomatic efforts to secure a resolution as they discussed the crisis in Iran over a phone call earlier the same day, said PM Wong.<\/p>\n
He added that they also discussed how Singapore and Malaysia can work more closely to strengthen supply chain resilience.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt a time like this, it is all the more important for close neighbours like Singapore and Malaysia to stay coordinated and support one another,\u201d PM Wong wrote on Facebook.<\/p>\n
The US and Israel attacked Iran on Feb 28, targeting and killing some of its top leaders, including Iran\u2019s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, prompting Tehran to retaliate across the Gulf region.<\/p>\n
The war has led to Iran\u2019s military closing the Strait of Hormuz<\/span><\/a>, which usually carries a fifth of the world\u2019s oil and liquefied natural gas, leading to a global energy crisis.<\/p>\n Datuk Seri Anwar wrote that both leaders welcomed the temporary ceasefire, and stressed the need for a lasting resolution.<\/p>\n Malaysia supports ongoing diplomatic efforts, including Pakistan\u2019s role in facilitating dialogue, and underscored the importance of safeguarding freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, he said.<\/p>\n The Malaysian Prime Minister added that both countries will focus on strengthening grid resilience and managing supply-demand pressures, while accelerating regional cooperation through the ASEAN Power Grid<\/span><\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cWe will continue to prioritise domestic needs and ensure Malaysia and the region remain resilient amid global uncertainty,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n Both leaders had spoken on March 25 about the Middle East developments, while committing to protect regional stability amid the increased pressures on oil supplies and the economy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n