KUALA LUMPUR (July 13): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has directed the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti) and the Ministry of Economy to engage manufacturers facing mounting pressure from the global supply crisis to help ease cost pressures.

In a post on X on Monday, Anwar, who is also finance minister, said the National Economic Action Council (MTEN), which he chaired earlier in the day, reviewed measures to strengthen the resilience of Malaysia's manufacturing sector.

He said particular attention was given to the plastics industry, which supports key sectors including food packaging, electrical and electronics (E&E), automotive and medical devices.

"The government takes seriously the concerns raised by industry players.

"I have directed Miti and the Ministry of Economy to conduct further engagements with the industry to formulate solutions that can ease cost pressures and ensure the country's manufacturing ecosystem remains resilient over the long term," he said.

Earlier, Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the plastics industry plays a vital supporting role across multiple sectors. Its sales value stood at RM62.69 billion in 2025, compared with RM64.78 billion in 2024.

He said packaging accounted for 45% of the market, followed by the E&E sector at 29%.

"When the plastics industry comes under pressure, the impact can spread to food packaging, E&E components, automotive, medical devices, construction, agriculture and manufactured exports," he said during a briefing on the global supply crisis streamed on the ministry's Facebook page on Monday.

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