Senior political advisor to Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, said Malaysians are expected to begin feeling the impact of the global supply crisis on the cost of living within one to two months [1]. He made the remarks following a visit to Taman Muda Market on May 1 [1].
Tengku Zafrul attributed the expected increases to higher supply-chain costs, including expenses related to logistics, fertilizer, and other industrial inputs [1]. According to him, the logistics sector will be the first affected, followed by agriculture and industries dependent on raw materials like plastic [1].
While prices of food and daily goods could rise, Tengku Zafrul said the initial increase may not be very significant. He explained, “Based on studies and analyses conducted, this impact will have an effect on the prices of food and daily goods, although the increase may not be very significant at the initial stage” [1].
He pointed out that Malaysia’s situation remains under control, aided by fuel subsidies that help curb transportation costs [1]. These subsidies currently help mitigate the pressure from rising logistics expenses.
Authorities are closely monitoring the supply chain challenges as the potential ripple effects could start to show within the coming two months. No further policy changes or measures have been announced yet in response to the emerging pressures [1].
