Tuesday, April 14, 2026

M’sia has fiscal room to support industries amid Iran war, says Tengku Zafrul


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M’sia has fiscal room to support industries amid Iran war, says Tengku Zafrul


Malaysian Investment Development Authority chair Tengku Zafrul Aziz said savings from a reduction in fuel subsidies prior to the conflict have helped cushion its impact


Tengku Zafrul Aziz said Malaysia entered the crisis with strong fundamentals. (Bernama pic)


KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia still has room to deploy fiscal support for industries impacted by the fallout of the Iran war, according to Tengku Zafrul Aziz, chair of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority.

“We are bracing ourselves to ensure that the Malaysian government can support some of these industries,” Tengku Zafrul said in an interview with Bloomberg TV’s Haslinda Amin on Tuesday. “We still have the fiscal space.”

The country entered the crisis with strong fundamentals, Tengku Zafrul said, while savings from a reduction in fuel subsidies prior to the Middle East conflict have helped cushion some of the impact.


Still, a prolonged war and continued disruption to energy supply will weigh on the country’s fiscal position. The government is under pressure to contain rising living costs and manage a swelling subsidy bill due to higher oil prices. The nation’s monthly subsidies for both petrol and diesel have climbed to RM6 billion, from RM700 million before the conflict.

Authorities will discuss measures to address surging fuel and essential goods costs driven by the Middle East war in a meeting on Tuesday.

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