PUTRAJAYA, April 13 — Malaysians should prepare for possible economic and supply disruptions if the ongoing geopolitical conflict in West Asia continues to affect global energy routes, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said today.

He said the Strait of Hormuz remains a critical shipping lane for crude oil bound for Port Dickson, Melaka and Pengerang, which together account for about 60 per cent of Malaysia’s downstream needs in gas, petrol and diesel.

“If the conflict continues, we must anticipate more difficult conditions. The challenge for the government, particularly in terms of communication strategy, is to prepare the public to accept the reality. The pain is coming.

“But we do not want the public to panic. At the same time, we also do not want them to become complacent. So how do we balance this? How do we manage it? We must find a way. We need to think carefully about how to do this. We do not want panic, but there must be no denial syndrome,” he said during the Home Ministry monthly assembly.

Saifuddin Nasution said the government’s priority remains protecting public welfare and ensuring Malaysians do not immediately feel the full impact of external shocks.

He pointed to risks such as rising prices and possible supply disruptions, while stressing that maintaining economic stability remains a key focus of the administration.

He said Putrajaya will continue its “transparent” approach by openly communicating supply pressures and price risks to the public, while using subsidies as a buffer against sudden cost increases.

“So our approach is one, transparent. We share information openly. We say clearly that we are facing supply issues, for example, or we are facing challenges of rising prices,” he said.

Saifuddin Nasution also highlighted the fiscal burden of subsidy support, noting that under current arrangements – including targeted fuel subsidies and diesel assistance schemes – government spending had previously been around RM700 million a month.

However, he said this has now surged to about RM6 billion a month due to broader subsidy obligations.

“From a fiscal perspective, this is very burdensome,” he said, adding that despite the pressure, the government will continue prioritising public welfare.

He said Putrajaya is still able to meet subsidy commitments for now, but acknowledged growing strain on public finances if global tensions persist.