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 | How East Asia is being quietly reordered by the US war on Iran A month into the Iran war, Washington still says it expects to achieve its objectives in weeks, not months. That may prove optimistic. The terms on offer from the United States and Iran barely overlap, and markets remain unconvinced a durable settlement is close. But one fact is clear: the war’s most consequential effects may be felt not only in the Middle East but across East Asia. It would be a mistake to see this as only an oil story. It is also about hierarchy. In East Asia, the war is... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Philippines weighs social media ban for minors, but will it be enough? The Philippines is the latest country to consider banning minors from social media, joining a regional wave led by Australia and Indonesia, but technology analysts warn that restricting access alone will do little to address the platform design flaws that expose young users to harm. Philippine Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday called for legislation to limit minors’ access to social media platforms, days after Indonesia began enforcing a ban on under-16s using “high-risk” platforms such as... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Bali rocked by spate of murder cases – is Indonesian island more dangerous now? Bali’s reputation as a carefree tropical escape has been shaken by a string of brutal crimes, including the kidnapping and dismemberment of a Ukrainian man and the fatal stabbing of a Dutch visitor. The cases – some involving foreign suspects and bearing the hallmarks of organised or premeditated violence – have fuelled growing alarm, prompting residents and visitors to the Indonesian holiday island to ask: Is Bali becoming a stage for international crime? Observers say the cases do not indicate... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Malaysian minister offers personal aid to family of man killed in drink-driving crash A Malaysian minister visited and provided financial aid to the widow of a motorcyclist who was killed in a drink-driving accident that threatened to inflame racial tensions in the country. Transport Minister Anthony Loke visited the family of the late Amirul Hafiz Omar, 33, on Sunday, accompanied by Road Transport Department Director General Aedy Fadly Ramli. He gave Amirul’s 32-year-old widow, Nor Nadia Abdul Majid, money from his own pocket to help the family with expenses. “However, no amount... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Why Asean neutrality in Iran war is key to unlocking Strait of Hormuz Asean’s neutrality in the Iran conflict is key to granting access to the coveted Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran likely seeking to win global opinion amid its war with the United States and Israel. Amid boiling tensions in the Gulf, Iran has wielded its control of the strategic channel to choke global oil supplies, especially to the US and its allies. Many countries – including those from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – have turned to diplomatic efforts to secure safe passage for... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Australia’s Albanese says Iran war goals met, asks what more is left to achieve Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the US-Israeli war on Iran appears to have achieved its key initial aims of curbing Tehran’s nuclear and missile capabilities – and questioned what further goals remain. “We did express support for the original objectives: preventing Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon and degrading its capacity to endanger its neighbours,” Albanese said in a speech on Thursday at the National Press Club in Canberra. “And now those objectives have been... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Malaysian woman’s apology for damaging double-parked car triggers outcry A parking dispute in Kuala Lumpur has expanded into a wider debate over entitlement, public humiliation and online bullying in Malaysia, after a woman who damaged a car blocking her own issued a public apology that many said looked coerced. The row began on Tuesday in Wangsa Maju, a densely populated suburb of the Malaysian capital, where videos shared on Threads showed a woman unable to reverse out of her parking spot after a red Perodua Ativa was left double-parked behind her car for about an... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Fourth ex-teacher charged in Singapore amid string of student sex abuse cases A former teacher was charged in Singapore court on Thursday with multiple charges over sexual acts with an underage student. The 34-year-old Singaporean was handed nine charges in total – six of committing indecent acts with a young person and three charges of sexual penetration of a minor. A gag order imposed by the court prevents the publication of anything that might identify the accused and the victim. Court records indicate that the pair have a “former teacher and student... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Estonian start-ups eye Singapore as ‘natural gateway’ to build digital trust in Asean Perched on top of a shoe shelf at the entrance of Veriff’s headquarters in Tallinn, Estonia, is a sign of a cartoon unicorn that reads “Welcome to Unicorn Land!”, serving as a reminder of the identity verification company’s rise from a local start-up to a valuation of US$1.5 billion in seven years. Veriff, which boasts clients including PayPal, Bumble and Visa, was founded by Kaarel Kotkas in 2015. It is one of at least 10 unicorn companies – privately held start-ups valued at more than US$1... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Malaysia’s Anwar warns against ‘sabotage, hatred’ over fuel prices Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called on enforcement agencies to step up action against what his government sees as false claims about fuel and electricity prices as it seeks to shore up public confidence amid a global energy crunch. The communications regulator has identified 96 posts of misleading content circulating on social media, he said. Anwar urged authorities, including police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, to take action against those spreading what... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Indonesia earthquake kills 1, triggers tsunami waves An earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck in Indonesia’s Northern Maluku Sea on Thursday, killing one person, damaging buildings and triggering tsunami waves, authorities and witnesses said, though monitoring agencies said the likelihood of further casualties was low. Indonesia’s meteorology agency BMKG said tsunami waves were reported in five locations, the highest at 0.75 metre (2.46 feet) in North Minahasa in North Sulawesi and about 50 aftershocks were monitored, the largest at a magnitude of... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Why Japan’s advanced fighter project may get Canadian tailwinds Japan could get a boost in its push for a next-generation fighter jet if Canada joins a multinational consortium backing the aircraft’s development, as Tokyo aims to narrow the gap with China’s fast-modernising air force. The Canadian government said it intended to take part in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), currently involving Japan, the United Kingdom and Italy, the Asahi newspaper reported on Tuesday. Japan is planning to replace its ageing F-2 fleet with a sixth-generation stealth... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Philippines seeks Iran talks for safe passage of vessels through Hormuz amid energy crisis Manila is following its Southeast Asian neighbours’ lead by seeking talks with Iran to secure safe passage for Philippine-bound tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a move observers have called “a matter of survival”. Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro posted on social media that she and energy secretary Sharon Garin had met Iran’s envoy Yousef Esmaeilzadeh on Wednesday to discuss energy cooperation and the advancement of bilateral ties. “Pleased to meet Iranian Ambassador to... Source: © SCMP News |
 | What the Iran war reveals about Nato’s appetite for conflict over Taiwan The United States attacked Iran without consulting its European allies. President Donald Trump assumed the operation would be a quick win, over before anyone had to take a position. Instead, Washington answered a question Western governments had long avoided. After years of pushing Nato towards confrontation with China, would the transatlantic alliance fight a war it had not chosen together? The answer was no. Iran and Taiwan are different cases. One sits on Europe’s wider periphery and carries... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Japan, France to draw road map for supply of critical minerals Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed on Wednesday to design a road map for critical minerals supply as they seek to deepen cooperation in the sector amid China’s dominance of global rare earths. The two leaders also affirmed that Japan and France will maintain close communication in support of efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East and establish a high-level dialogue on artificial intelligence, Takaichi said at a joint press appearance... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Indonesian peacekeepers’ deaths spur calls for Middle East exit plan The killing of three Indonesian peacekeepers in southern Lebanon is a stern test of Jakarta’s Middle East policy, with analysts saying the incident has raised questions over the risks of overseas deployment in Gaza and the region, as well as limits to global accountability. Several Indonesian lawmakers and observers said the deaths had exposed how little protection diplomatic positions could offer during a spiralling conflict, arguing that Jakarta should reassess its role in Lebanon and... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Why Myanmar top general’s exit is window dressing to cement military rule The Myanmar junta’s attempts to place its top man in the country’s highest civilian position have been described by analysts as a “constitutional repackaging of continued military rule”. On Monday, Min Aung Hlaing, who led the military in the 2021 coup and has headed the junta since then, resigned from the armed forces, moving one step closer to becoming president. He stepped down after Myanmar’s parliament had cleared the way for his nomination. He handed over the role of commander-in-chief of... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Malaysia denies Anwar delayed disclosure of probe into MACC chief, threatens legal action Malaysia’s government has said it “strongly denies” a claim made in a news report that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sought to delay the release of findings from an investigation into the country’s anti-corruption chief, and will take legal action over the allegation. The latest claim has sharpened scrutiny of Anwar, whose reformist image and anti-corruption credentials have come under strain amid a series of allegations involving the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and its chief... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Australia and Japan face jet fuel supply crunch as China cuts exports China’s exports of jet fuel have declined sharply in recent weeks amid the US-Israel war on Iran, leaving countries including Australia and Japan facing a supply crunch and scrambling to find alternative sellers. China is Asia-Pacific’s largest jet fuel and kerosene exporter, but shipments from the country fell nearly 40 per cent month on month in March to 204,000 barrels per day, figures from trade data provider Kpler showed. The cutback is likely to hit hardest in Australia and Japan, which... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Dog lost for a week in New Zealand bush found after strangers fund US$6,300 air search When a hiker fell from a 55-metre (180-foot) waterfall in wild New Zealand bush, rescuers were forced to evacuate the badly hurt woman without her dog, which could not be found. After strangers raised thousands of dollars for a search, border collie Molly was flown to safety by a helicopter pilot who was determined to reunite pet and owner. A week earlier, an emergency rescue helicopter found Jessica Johnston with bruises and lacerations after a fall at a rocky spot at the waterfall on the South... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Malaysian anti-corruption body offers to pay for witness’s flight in chips probe Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency on Wednesday offered to pay for the flight of a London-based key witness to help with its investigation into possible corruption linked to a US$250 million deal signed last year between the government and British chip design firm Arm Holdings. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has for the past month been on the hunt for former government aide James Chai, whom it said was a key witness in its probe on possible abuse of power, fraud and governance... Source: © SCMP News |
 | South Korean restaurants struggle to survive as global oil prices eat into profits Kim Bong-hwan, who runs a barbecue restaurant in Myeong-dong in central Seoul, is feeling the brunt of rising costs, with wholesale beef prices climbing from about 28,000 won (US$18) per kilogram to more than 40,000 won in recent weeks. “Everything’s going up – beef, pork, eggs, vegetables and even disposable materials like plastic bags and containers,” he said. “Prices have risen 20 to 30 per cent in just a few weeks.” Kim, who has operated the restaurant for more than 15 years, said raising... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Malaysian minister warns of ‘very, very serious’ energy crisis The Malaysian government has entered “crisis mode” in response to the ongoing global energy supply disruption, its transport minister has warned. “This is not a laughing or joking matter. It is a very, very serious matter,” Transport Minister Anthony Loke said on Tuesday, as quoted by the New Straits Times newspaper. “For the past month, energy costs have risen by more than 100 per cent.” According to news website Free Malaysia Today, Loke said: “Even though at this moment our lights are still... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Pakistan eyes Gulf investment, defence deals in return for playing peacemaker in Iran war Pakistan is hoping that its role in building a diplomatic off-ramp from the US-Israel war on Iran will enable it to become a key actor in the Middle East after the conflict ends, analysts say. If Islamabad can deliver without being sucked into the maelstrom, it can capitalise on its position as peacemaker by signing defence deals with Gulf monarchies and attracting investment from them to strengthen its weak economy. This will help finance Pakistan’s military expansion for its envisioned new... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Japan begins tax increases to bankroll record US$8 billion military build-up Japan on Wednesday raised tobacco and corporate taxes to finance a boost in defence spending, with income tax hike set to follow in 2027 as the government projects the tax increases will add some 1.3 trillion yen (US$8 billion) annually in revenue. As the security environment surrounding Japan deteriorates and the government is set to further strengthen the country’s defence capabilities, the public is likely to face further tax burdens to finance the outlays, which have now ballooned to a... Source: © SCMP News |
 | China-Pakistan five-point plan to end Iran war China and Pakistan unveiled a joint five-point plan on Tuesday to restore peace in the Persian Gulf after five weeks of US-Israeli bombardment of Iran. China, Pakistan five-point initiative for restoring peace in the Middle East by scmp Source: © SCMP News |
 | Japan races to limit fallout from Chinese embassy break-in Japan has moved swiftly to contain the diplomatic fallout after a member of its Self-Defence Forces broke into the Chinese embassy in Tokyo last week. But observers and local media say the incident has given Beijing an opening to reinforce claims of rising militarism and anti-China sentiment in Japan. Yoshinobu Kusunoki, commissioner general of the National Police Agency, on Monday called the break-in on March 24 “extremely unusual and serious”, adding that it “should not have happened”. His... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Indonesia to deport Scottish crime boss wanted by Spain for murder, drug trafficking A Scottish crime boss is to be deported to Spain on Wednesday after he was arrested on the Indonesian resort island of Bali in connection with large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering, authorities said. The 45-year-old, identified as Steven Lyons, was taken into custody by immigration officers at Ngurah Rai International Airport on Saturday on arrival from Singapore, Untung Widiyatmoko, head of Indonesia’s branch of Interpol, said on Tuesday. The immigration system had flagged him as... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Japan’s Shibuya to fine litterbugs on the spot from June as visitor numbers surge Tokyo’s Shibuya ward – home to the famous scramble crossing and one of the Japanese capital’s busiest shopping and nightlife districts – is abandoning its long-standing policy of asking people to take their rubbish home. Instead, it is turning to on-the-spot fines as visitor numbers surge and litter piles up. Under a new campaign branded “If you throw trash, you lose cash”, anyone caught dropping rubbish will be fined 2,000 yen (US$12.50), with enforcement starting on June 1 after a grace... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Will surging fuel prices push Filipinos deeper into credit card debt? Rising fuel costs linked to the Middle East conflict could push more Filipinos deeper into debt, analysts have warned, with one regional study describing the Philippines’ credit card burden reaching a “critical” risk level. Although credit card ownership in the Philippines remains relatively low, data indicates that cardholders appear to be using them far more intensively as living costs outpace income growth. Credit card receivables in the Philippines have been growing consistently at more than... Source: © SCMP News |
 | How selective outrage over Iran war exposes the limits of realpolitik As with any conflict, the war in Iran has driven people to choose sides and adopt partisan positions. This includes the view that, despite the acts of aggression by the US and Israel, the Islamic Republic somehow “deserves” the attacks due to years of regional instability caused by its Axis of Resistance. This is not to suggest that the Iranian regime has always been a victim. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ transgressions through the Quds Force have been well documented. But let’s be... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Philippines to rename disputed South China Sea islands to boost ‘sovereignty’ The Philippines said on Tuesday it will rename more than 100 island features in a bid to reinforce its “sovereignty” in the disputed South China Sea, including areas claimed by China. The features to be renamed under President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s executive order belong to the Spratly archipelago, site of repeated confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels. Beijing claims the South China Sea in nearly its entirety despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Japan rape accuser condemns prosecution’s failure to protect victims A Japanese prosecutor who publicly accused her boss of rape condemned her office on Tuesday for failing to protect victims, after it rejected her request for an independent probe into harassment within the organisation. Very few women in Japan speak out about sexual assault but Hikari (not her real name) came forward in 2024 to accuse Osaka’s then top prosecutor of raping her six years earlier. Kentaro Kitagawa, head of the Osaka District Public Prosecutor’s Office, was arrested and admitted the... Source: © SCMP News |
 | How US war in Iran is pushing Philippines closer to China The Iran war could provide an impetus for the Philippines and China to reach an agreement on disputed energy resources in the South China Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said recently. Marcos, the rotational chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year, emphasised the need for a “reset” in relations with China given that regional states are confronting “very serious” economic and foreign policy restructuring. Marcos’ statements came shortly after the Philippine... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Nepal to apologise to ‘untouchable’ Dalits for first time As a child, Saraswati Nepali was not allowed to drink from the same water jar as her classmates. When she was thirsty, she had to walk the 20 minutes home and back: the cost of being born a Dalit in a society that deemed her “untouchable”. Now, Nepal’s new government says it is finally ready to acknowledge that injustice. Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s administration announced on Sunday that the state would, for the first time, offer a formal apology to the Dalit community. It also pledged to... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Malaysia court orders ex-PM Najib to pay US$1.3 billion to 1MDB unit A Malaysian court on Tuesday ordered jailed former prime minister Najib Razak to pay US$1.3 billion to a former unit of scandal-tainted state fund 1MDB, state media reported. The Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that Najib was liable for losses incurred by SRC International, a former subsidiary of sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, state news agency Bernama reported. High Court judge Ahmad Fairuz Zainol Abidin ruled that Najib breached his fiduciary duties, abused his position... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Is extortion widespread at Indonesia’s entry points? Officer’s firing sparks concern The firing of an Indonesian immigration officer at a Batam seaport, following reports of extortion of foreign tourists, has raised questions about the prevalence of such practices across the country’s entry points. Batam, in Indonesia’s Riau Islands province, is a popular destination for visitors from nearby Singapore as it boasts scenic beaches an hour’s ferry ride from the city state. The island’s appeal has recently been marred by allegations of extortion by immigration officers at Batam... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Filipino singer Matty Juniosa’s Golden Buzzer win stokes #SEAblings’ Southeast Asian pride A Filipino singer’s Golden Buzzer moment on Britain’s Got Talent has quickly become a fresh rallying point for Southeast Asian pride under the #SEAblings banner, as audiences in the region increasingly champion one another’s artists on the global stage. Matty Juniosa, a 27-year-old from the Philippines, drew a standing ovation after performing Prince’s “Purple Rain” on the British television competition on Sunday, earning the coveted Golden Buzzer from acerbic judge Simon Cowell and a direct... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Malaysia raises 2026 growth forecast despite Iran war risks Malaysia’s central bank has raised its 2026 growth outlook, saying the economy is on track to expand between 4 and 5 per cent despite mounting risks from the Iran war. The revised forecast from Bank Negara Malaysia marks an upgrade from the government’s earlier target of 4 to 4.5 per cent, reflecting stronger-than-expected momentum in the second half of last year and resilient domestic demand. “Malaysia enters 2026 from a position of strength to navigate the challenges,” BNM Governor Abdul... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Japan deploys long-range missiles to 2 bases amid China tensions, irking locals Japan’s defence ministry said on Tuesday that long-range missiles with counterstrike capabilities have been brought into service at two Ground Self-Defence Force bases in the country. The deployment of the missiles at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto prefecture, southwestern Japan, and Camp Fuji in Shizuoka prefecture, central Japan, marks a shift from the country’s exclusively defence-oriented policy under its war-renouncing constitution. Japan has for the first time acquired a counterstrike capability,... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Fuelling up: the new ‘obsession’ drawing Singaporeans to Malaysia’s Johor Singaporeans are not flocking to Malaysia’s Johor just for groceries these days – fuel is the “obsession” for the moment. Petrol prices have spiked sharply in the city state due to the Middle East conflict, with RON95 at almost three times the price in Malaysia at S$3.41 (US$2.64) per litre. Singapore vehicles are only allowed to pump the unsubsidised RON97 fuel in Malaysia, which is being retailed in Johor Bahru at 5.15 ringgit (US$1.27) per litre. A Singaporean who wanted to be known only as... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Japan seeks French backing as Macron begins Asia trip in Iran war’s shadow Emmanuel Macron touched down in Tokyo on Tuesday with a packed agenda and a receptive audience in a Japanese government anxious about a choked oil route and looking for support amid its diplomatic falling-out with Beijing. The French president’s three-day visit, before he heads to South Korea later in the week, comes as Japan looks to Europe for solidarity amid a crisis in the Strait of Hormuz that has sent oil prices soaring. The backdrop to Macron’s meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Bin bag panic grips South Korea as huge Iran war crisis budget agreed In Seoul last week, South Koreans were stripping shop shelves of plastic bin bags. Not food, not medicine. Bin bags. Nearly 2.7 million of the city’s mandatory “pay-as-you-throw” bags were sold each day, almost five times the normal volume, as residents scrambled to stockpile what they feared might soon become scarce. City by-laws mandate that the prepaid bags – made from naphtha, a petroleum derivative – be used to throw away household waste. But with oil supplies under strain amid the... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Japan PM’s fawning sparks backlash, Philippines’ work-life balance fails: 7 Asia highlights We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump’s ‘wind-up doll’? Japan’s PM faces backlash over White House fawning Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is facing accusations of diplomatic sycophancy after White House footage showed her giggling at a portrait of an autopen – placed by US President Donald... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Turn up the ‘Bass’: why Bella Astillah, Syed Saddiq’s new chapter has captured Malaysia For years, Malaysians watched singer-actress Bella Astillah’s heartbreak unfold in public. Her tribulations – a troubled marriage, cheating scandal and very public split – struck a chord with many, underscoring the stigma that divorced women face in a conservative Muslim-majority society. When lawmaker Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, 33, proposed to her – first on Mount Kinabalu and later at a formal engagement ceremony in Kuala Lumpur – it resonated with many Malaysians who felt Bella was... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Japan’s wartime past weighs on growing military role in Philippines As Japanese combat troops prepare to join war games in the Philippines next month – their first return to Philippine soil since 1945 – some Filipinos say the real issue is not only what Japan is doing now, but what it still has not fully reckoned with from the past. For survivors, activists and historians, Tokyo’s expanding security role in the Philippines has revived what one campaigner called “the elephant in the room” – the absence, in their view, of a formal state apology and official... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Why India is quietly deepening its engagement with the Taliban As tensions simmer along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier – fuelled by disputes over the contested Durand Line, recurring cross-border strikes and the persistent threat of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters operating from Afghan soil – a subtle but consequential geopolitical shift is under way. India is quietly but steadily stepping up its engagement with the Taliban. The urgency of this recalibration was underscored on March 16, when Pakistani military forces carried out one of the... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Filipino farmer pleads ‘Stop US-Iran War’ after soaring fuel prices wipe out earnings After a seven-hour drive to a trading post in northern Philippines, 35-year-old farmer Elmer Ullani took home nothing but an empty petrol tank even after selling 10 tonnes of cabbage. Ullani, who hails from the northern town of Tinoc in Ifugao province, said he only managed to sell his produce – yielded over three harvest rounds – at a paltry rate of 8 to 9 pesos (15 US cents) per kilogram, earning him a total of 90,000 pesos (US$1,482). All of his earnings went towards covering his fuel... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Japan’s PM will mull top-level talks with Iran at ‘appropriate’ time Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday she will consider holding talks with the Iranian leadership at an “appropriate” time based on the national interest as tensions remain high in the Middle East. Takaichi’s remarks come as prospects for a US-Iran meeting mediated by Pakistan remain uncertain, with US President Donald Trump later renewing threats to hit Iranian energy infrastructure if a deal is not reached. “I will judge the appropriate timing for holding talks based on the... Source: © SCMP News |
 | Malaysia’s food prices could rise by 50% as fuel costs soar, traders warn The energy crisis caused by the Iran war could push food prices up by as much as 50 per cent in Malaysia, trade associations have warned, as soaring fuel costs threaten to wipe out already narrow margins for roadside stalls and restaurants feeding the country’s outsize appetite for eating out. Malaysia’s government coffers have already taken a hit due to fallout from the conflict, with local fuel subsidy costs estimated to spike by more than fourfold to about 3.2 billion ringgit (US$795 million)... Source: © SCMP News |