KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 — Malaysia’s plastic supply remains sufficient,and the government is stepping up efforts to secure additional sources, expand international cooperation, and explore alternative raw materials, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
He said global plastic supply has been affected by disruptions to oil and gas production as well as uncertainties surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.
“Plastic manufacturing requires raw materials such as naphtha, ammonia, ethylene and propylene, which are produced from oil and gas,” he said during the Weekly Global Supply Crisis briefing today.
Fadillah, who is also the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, said plastics are a basic component of daily life, used in food packaging, consumer goods, and medical equipment, among others.
He added that the Ministry of Health has secured additional supplies of naphtha and resin from China to support the healthcare sector.
“The government will continue to ensure that the people’s supply of essential goods remains sufficient,” he said.
Fadillah also stressed that the government had been proactive and would continue strengthening efforts to safeguard the public’s welfare, focusing on three key strategies: ensuring an adequate supply of essential goods, extending supply through prudent resource management and distribution, and curbing price increases through close monitoring and firm enforcement.
Earlier, it was reported that the domestic plastic manufacturing industry is expected to face continued uncertainty in the short to medium term due to the West Asia crisis.
The prices of certain resin grades have exceeded US$2,000 per tonne, rising more than 100 per cent as the conflict in West Asia disrupted the flow of crude oil and petrochemical feedstock through the Strait of Hormuz, constraining upstream supply for resin production. — Bernama
