CEBU, May 8 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged ASEAN ministers to explore regional food security preparations for crises to allow quicker coordination and emergency response efforts.
Speaking at the plenary session of the 48th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits here today, he warned that the energy crisis is already exacerbating food insecurity as rising fuel prices continue to drive up fertiliser, transport and production costs, resulting in urgent supply pressures across Southeast Asia.
“If disruptions persist, ASEAN faces the risk of lower yields and sustained food inflation well into next year. Food security must therefore be treated as a regional strategic priority,” he said.
He urged the boosting of the ASEAN+3 Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) and working with its partners to expand cooperation beyond rice reserves to include fertiliser security.
Referring to the Kuala Lumpur Declaration adopted last year, he said the 20-year framework recognises that energy security, food resilience, supply chain stability and stronger regional connectivity are now strategic imperatives, rather than just sectoral concerns.
Hence, he called on ASEAN members to build on the momentum of the declaration, which reaffirmed a shared commitment to strategic autonomy, economic resilience and sustainable growth.
On the ASEAN Framework on Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), Anwar said Malaysia supports accelerating the initiative as it provides essential protection amid declining oil and gas production across the region.
“We must also diversify our fossil fuel sources and reduce overdependence on vulnerable supply chains. We must recognise that strategic collaboration with trusted partners and regional groupings can strengthen ASEAN’s long-term energy security,” he said.
He also urged ASEAN to leverage partnerships with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including the broader ASEAN-GCC-China nexus, to build more reliable and resilient energy arrangements.
The prime minister also emphasised that the ASEAN Power Grid remains central to the bloc’s energy transition and long-term security, adding that greater investment is needed to accelerate cross-border interconnectivity and low-carbon growth.
On ASEAN nationals’ safety amid the West Asia crisis, Anwar urged bloc members to boost information-sharing, consular cooperation and emergency response mechanisms.
He said closer collaborations with external partners, international organisations and stakeholders will be essential in ensuring the people’s welfare.
“From migrant workers and seafarers, to peacekeepers and students, the risks posed by regional instability demand stronger coordination among us,” he said.
Affirming Malaysia’s full support for the Philippines’ ASEAN chairmanship this year, he said its theme “Navigating Our Future, Together” is both timely and necessary.
“It reflects the continuity of our shared vision and the resolve to strengthen ASEAN’s unity, resilience and centrality, in an increasingly complex global environment,” Anwar said.
