Anwar to discuss Malaysia’s fuel supply in meeting with Putin

PETALING JAYA: Ensuring the country’s energy supply will be one of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s main priorities when he meets Russian president Vladimir Putin during his working visit to Russia from tomorrow.

Anwar said the visit, which will involve a meeting between Asean leaders and the Russian leadership, was to ensure the continuity and security of oil and diesel supplies to Malaysia.

“Among the matters I intend to emphasise when meeting Putin is to ensure that oil supplies can continue to be channelled to us. This is the benefit of maintaining good relations with others,” Bernama reported him as saying in Muar, Johor, today.

He said sound economic management and strong international relations had enabled Malaysia to maintain the retail price of RON95 at RM1.99 per litre.

He also said Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif had recently informed him that the armed conflict involving Iran, the US and Israel could potentially be resolved in the near future.

“He said an agreement may be signed and the war could be resolved by Friday. We pray for that outcome because if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, the impact will reach Malaysia and oil prices will rise.

“As of today, oil prices have already started to decline slightly,” he said.

Earlier today, Reuters reported US and Iranian officials as saying they had reached an agreement to end their war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz in a preliminary pact that sent oil prices falling but left the fate of Tehran’s nuclear programme to further negotiations.

While still a framework, the deal marks the biggest breakthrough towards resolving the conflict that has killed thousands and upended energy markets since it began with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

“The deal with Iran is now complete,” US president Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform at about 5.30pm in Washington on Sunday.

His post came shortly after Shehbaz, whose country has served as a mediator, announced a deal had been struck early on Monday.

The memorandum of understanding is scheduled to be officially signed on Friday in Switzerland.