KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said Malaysia fully backs Turkiye’s advocacy for all parties to exercise restraint in the West Asia war that erupted over a month ago. 

Stressing the need for engagement over escalation, the prime minister also expressed concerns that the ongoing war could potentially fuel a new arms race in an already-volatile region.

Anwar said international law should be advocated and applied consistently in order for a rules-based order to have credibility. 

“A rules-based international order cannot be invoked selectively. 

“It cannot protect some while denying others their legitimate rights,” Anwar said at the inaugural Kuala Lumpur-Ankara Dialogue 2026 at the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, here, today. 

Anwar also commended Egypt, Oman and Pakistan for mediating between Iran and the United States to swiftly resolve the conflict that has triggered a global trade and energy crisis.

The prime minister also urged for efforts to be directed towards a decisive resolution of the conflict rooted in international law, rather than merely managing it. 

“The world has seen too many ceasefires that serve merely as interludes between escalations.

“As a true friend of both Iran and the nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Malaysia reiterates our principled position that it is in their collective interest to reclaim the peace of their region and unite in the face of external attacks,” Anwar said.

The war, he said, is also a stark reminder that Malaysia is not insulated from global energy supply disruptions. 

While tackling supply shortages and immediate cost of living pressures, Anwar said the war is also pushing Malaysia to expedite its shift to more sustainable, diversified and cost-effective energy sources 

“This is not merely an environmental necessity. It is a strategic imperative,” he added.