KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia will ensure its domestic fuel requirements are met before supplying any surplus to Australia, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.
Speaking at a joint press conference with visiting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, confirmed that the government had received assurances from Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) that local demand is fully secured, with any excess available for trusted partners such as Australia, Bernama reported.
“The priority is, of course, on domestic requirements and economic resilience in the country,” he said.
Highlighting the significance of diplomatic engagement, Anwar noted that such arrangements demonstrate the importance of negotiation and mutual understanding between friendly nations, especially where both rely on each other for strategic resources.
Malaysia imports gas, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), from Australia, which has reaffirmed its commitment to existing supply agreements. Malaysia, in turn, will ensure Australia’s requirements are met once domestic needs are addressed.
“That’s what friendship is all about,” he added, describing the cooperation as a balanced partnership founded on trust and reciprocal commitments.
Anwar further emphasised that Malaysia will continue to strengthen ties with a broad range of international partners while keeping national interests and citizens’ welfare as top priorities.
“We, as a country, have been engaging with more countries. The largest trade (and) investments are still from the US, notwithstanding that we have good bilateral relations with Russia and we trade with them,” he said, noting the importance of maintaining diverse economic relationships with major global players.
In an increasingly complex global environment, the Prime Minister stressed that Malaysia must manage its international relations carefully to safeguard economic stability and protect national interests.
“My priority, the mandate that I have, is to protect the interests of the people in this country,” he reiterated.
Australia remains an important economic partner, ranking as Malaysia’s 12th largest trading partner in 2025, with total bilateral trade valued at RM78.63 billion (USD18.38 billion).
Since elevating their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2021, the two countries have sought to expand cooperation across economic, societal, technological, and security dimensions. – April 16, 2026