KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 — The government will take necessary measures to ensure the country is prepared to deal with rising geopolitical uncertainties, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.

The Umno president said recent global political developments, like the Gulf states crisis and the ongoing political impasse in the United Kingdom, could pose threats to stability, and that the government was monitoring the situation closely.

"We will be facing challenges as a country… apart from religious extremism, which is a big threat… we have come to realise that we are facing a new risk: A geopolitical risk,” Najib told the press after chairing Umno’s supreme council meeting here.

"This is following the crisis between the gulf states, the ballistic missile programme by North Korea and last night we witnessed a hung parliament results in the UK which is raising uncertainties.

"So as a country we have to be prepared and take measures to make all the right decisions,” he added.

Earlier this week, Najib said Malaysia will closely monitor the situation in the Persian Gulf after six countries proceeded to cut ties with Qatar, which was accused of bankrolling militant groups.

The Umno chief noted that Malaysia shares a close relation with the Gulf countries.

Meanwhile, in the UK, the May administration came out of snap elections battered after an inspiring Labour win denied her party the majority needed to form a government.

Analysts said this could have severe ramification to the ongoing "Brexit” negotiations.

Malaysia is a close trading partner of the UK.