08/06/2026

MONDAY | JUNE 8, 2026

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Anwar departs for official visit to Japan PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim departs today for Japan on a three-day official visit aimed at advancing a sweeping bilateral agenda, from green energy and defence to high-value investment as Malaysia deepens a partnership worth RM142.96 billion in annual trade. December 2023 and May 2024. He will be accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, and Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong, along with senior government officials.

RM1 million extra allocation for Kedah varsity SUNGAI PETANI: The federal government has approved an additional RM1 million allocation for AIMST University to ensure students from underprivileged families continue to receive education assistance. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the additional allocation would supplement the annual grant given to the private university. “The Madani government will ensure that the poorest students at the university continue to receive guaranteed assistance. Therefore, I am adding RM1 million specifically for that purpose. “Last week, we announced an allocation of RM100 for every secondary school and university student to purchase books,“ he said when speaking at the annual government grant presentation ceremony for AIMST University in Bedong yesterday. Also present were Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir and MIC president Tan Sri Dr SA Vigneswaran, who is also AIMST University chancellor and chairman. At the ceremony, AIMST University received an annual grant amounting to RM25 million. Anwar added that despite various global challenges, the country’s economic growth remains resilient and strong. He said the national unemployment rate is currently at its lowest level, while investment performance has recorded an all-time high in the country’s history. “We are certainly grateful, but as I always say, ‘ we shouldn’t be lulled into complacency’. One of the major challenges, of course, is education; how to ensure that we continue to excel.” He also said education is an important instrument in uplifting the dignity of the public and building a better future. Anwar said therefore, the government places education as a key component that receives the highest budget allocation every year. – Bernama foundations underpinning the visit are substantial. Japan ranks as Malaysia’s fifth-largest trading partner globally, with total bilateral trade reaching RM142.96 billion (US$33.39 billion) in 2025. As of December 2025, some 2,872 Japanese-linked manufacturing projects had been implemented in Malaysia, with cumulative investments of RM107.9 billion (US$31.0 billion) generating 347,346 jobs. – by theSun Team I will go (to Turkmenistan). And hopefully we can secure large gas reserves in the region.” He also expressed hoped that the commitment and sacrifice made amid a tight schedule would yield significant results for the country’s energy sector in the future. He said efforts were being specifically driven to support national development and the economy, including in Johor. – Bernama opportunities in Malaysia. The economic

views on regional and international developments of mutual concern. Beyond the bilateral summit, Anwar is scheduled to deliver a special lecture at the University of Tokyo and a keynote address at the 31st Nikkei Forum: Future of Asia – engagements that underscore Malaysia’s commitment to deepening ties with Japan and the broader region. He will also take part in business roundtable sessions with leading Japanese industry players to explore fresh high-value investment

The Foreign Ministry said the meeting would serve as an important platform for both leaders to take stock of bilateral progress and explore new areas of cooperation, building on the elevation of Malaysia-Japan ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in December 2023. Discussions are expected to span green technology, energy transition and resilience, environmental cooperation, defence and regional security, and higher education. Both leaders are also expected to exchange

According to Wisma Putra, Anwar will be accorded an official welcoming ceremony before holding bilateral talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

The visit, which runs from June 8 to June 10 at the invitation of the Japanese government, marks Anwar’s third trip to Japan since assuming office in 2022, following earlier visits in

‘Fertiliser costs could double due to global energy crisis’

o Strain on agri-food chain compounded by fuel prices: Minister

Ű BY THESUN TEAM newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Mohamad said to ease immediate strain, the government has raised cash assistance under the Budi Agri Commodity and Budi Diesel Individual

PETALING JAYA: Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu yesterday said fertiliser costs for crops such as bananas could double if global energy tensions persist as geopolitical instability threatens to drive up production expenses across Malaysia’s entire agri-food chain. The minister said urea fertiliser prices have already surged 72% as of May 3, driven by Middle East disruptions, with further increases on the horizon should the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz worsen. He added that fertiliser remains the single largest cost burden in farming, accounting for up to 50% of production costs in fruit and vegetable cultivation and about 13% for padi . “If the crisis continues, fertiliser costs for crops such as bananas could rise by as much as 100%,” he told Sinar Ahad . He also said the shock would not only inflate costs but also weigh on output, as farmers delay purchases, cut back application or face disrupted supply chains for key inputs. Mohamad said fuel costs are compounding the pressure, adding that diesel remains the backbone of Malaysia’s agri-food logistics and production network, accounting for 70% to 80% of operating costs for fishing vessels, 20% to 50% for agricultural machinery and up to

schemes to RM400 per

month. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN

diesel costs; livestock is more exposed due to reliance on imported feed such as corn and soy; and fisheries face direct pressure from rising diesel prices. He also said to ease immediate strain, the government has raised cash assistance under the Budi Agri Commodity and Budi Diesel Individual schemes to RM400 per month. Mohamad said padi incentives have also been increased for the 2026 planting season, while existing subsidies for fertiliser, seeds and pesticides remain in place. He said despite mounting pressures, the government remained committed to keeping the agri-food system stable, resilient and capable of sustaining national food security through an increasingly volatile global environment.

advancing a longer-term overhaul under the National Food Security Policy 2030, focused on energy efficiency, logistics optimisation and a gradual shift towards renewable energy in agriculture. Mohamad said strategies under consideration include converting agricultural waste into energy, expanding regenerative and circular farming systems, and introducing a National Food Security Act to strengthen governance. He added that the ministry is also studying buffer stock mechanisms for key inputs such as fertiliser, and exploring domestic fertiliser production using industrial by-products, including waste from Lynas. He said the impact varies across subsectors: crop production is squeezed by fertiliser, pesticide and

40% for fertiliser and pesticide processing. “The global energy shock, particularly the surge in Brent crude prices, is feeding directly into higher operating costs across the agri-food system,” he said, adding that disruptions along the Strait of Hormuz would further amplify freight costs and delivery delays. On long-term food security risks, he said Malaysia’s vulnerability was structural rather than cyclical, given its reliance on imported inputs including fertiliser, animal feed and petrochemical-based materials. He added that rising input costs are ultimately passed down the supply chain from farm to retail, intensifying inflationary pressure on households. He also said to address the structural exposure, the ministry is

M’sia poised to access major gas field via Turkmenistan talks BATU PAHAT: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia has the potential to secure access to a gas field zone described as among the largest in the world through negotiations involving national petroleum company Petronas with Turkmenistan. process of signing the planned agreement. “There is a delegation going to Turkmenistan (in mid-June). I told Petronas, ‘Don’t, there is an election coming. The trip would require two days’. launch of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) election machinery for the 16th Johor State Election on Saturday. Anwar said although his schedule was packed with various commitments, including state He also said the effort was in line with the government’s aim to strengthen Malaysia’s position in the global energy industry while ensuring national energy supply security.

Anwar acknowledged that he was no longer a young man and did not enjoy long-distance travel as much as before, but described the task as a sacrifice that must be undertaken. “For the country, I have no choice.

elections, the country’s strategic interests in the energy sector required the government’s continuous commitment to exploring new opportunities across the globe.

“But if I go, the guarantee from Turkmenistan is, God willing, Petronas will obtain a gas field zone which is among the largest in the world,” he said when speaking at the

He added that the opportunity was very important for the country and required his personal involvement as prime minister in the