On April 19, Singapore’s Channel News Asia reported that Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam were in talks with Russia for the supply of crude oil, despite Russia’s war in Ukraine, given the disruption of supplies from the Middle East due to the U.S.-Iran conflict.
Despite this clear indication that Southeast Asia was short of oil for its own needs, the Australian government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Foreign Minister Penny Wong, embarked on a mission to East and Southeast Asia to seek guarantees of supply for petrol, diesel, and fertilizer from some of the same countries. The results, as reported, were predictably embarrassing.
First, on April 22, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s office stated that diesel shipments that were reported to be heading to Australia from Malaysia were not in fact from the country’s own supplies.
“The fuel that is being supplied to Australia is under a contract between Viva Energy and BP Australia, which was reflected in the media report,” it stated, as per New Straits Times. “It is described as being ‘from Malaysia’ because the vessel loads fuel stored in Malaysia.”
The PMO added, “The diesel does not originate from Malaysia’s natural resources.”
