PUTRAJAYA, April 22 — The government is closely reviewing petrochemical supply issues that may potentially disrupt the food packaging chain and the supply of essential goods, following the global supply crisis, said Madani Government spokesperson Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.The Communications Minister said the matter was discussed at yesterday’s National Economic Action Council (MTEN) meeting, with further studies being conducted by the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti).Fahmi said the Government is aware that petrochemical supply disruptions extend beyond plastics and also affect the production of essential materials such as ammonia, urea and helium, which are widely used across various industrial sectors.“The government is aware of, understands and is concerned about the impact on the supply chain arising from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Several additional studies still need to be carried out and the findings are expected to be discussed again at the (MTEN) meeting next week,” he said at a global energy crisis briefing and post-Cabinet meeting press conference here today.He said that as an initial measure to assist affected companies, the Association of Banks in Malaysia has announced that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) or micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) facing financial difficulties may negotiate directly with commercial banks for flexibility on existing financial facilities.Fahmi said the approach is aimed at ensuring continuity of industrial operations, particularly in the food manufacturing and packaging sectors, is not significantly affected should disruptions in raw material supply continue.On April 17, the Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA) said the country’s plastic manufacturing industry is expected to experience continued volatility in the near to medium term amid the West Asia crisis.The situation is likely to result in shortages of essential goods, higher costs and downstream inflationary pressures, which would ultimately affect the overall cost of living.In another development, Fahmi said the proposal by Gabungan Kelab Media Malaysia (GKMM) to retain the 300-litre monthly Budi Madani RON95 (Budi95) fuel quota for media practitioners is also expected to be discussed at the next MTEN meeting.He said that so far, the matter had not been specifically discussed as the focus of yesterday’s meeting involved other sectors under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) and Miti.“This matter is within MTEN’s knowledge but is still in the queue for discussion. Yesterday’s discussions involved Motac and Miti, and had yet to include the Ministry of Communications,” he said.Fahmi said he had requested that issues involving the Ministry of Communications, including applications from the creative industry sector, be brought to MTEN’s attention at its next meeting. — Bernama