“The US-Israeli war on Iran is not only a West Asia conflict, it is also an ASEAN strategic crisis, an economic shock for Malaysia and ASEAN, and a major test for the Islamic world.

“From a transregional perspective, insecurity in West Asia now produces immediate vulnerabilities for ASEAN. In the past, we could speak of a clear demarcation between security challenges in West Asia and prosperity in ASEAN,” he said.

Speaking at a forum titled “US-Israeli War on Iran: Implications for Malaysia, ASEAN and the Islamic World”, organised by the Malaysia Social Science Association via Zoom on Wednesday, Baba said disruptions in key maritime routes and energy markets highlight ASEAN’s growing exposure to instability in West Asia, particularly through critical chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz, where about 80 per cent of oil and petroleum products transiting the waterway are bound for Asia.

He added that, despite these risks, ASEAN has issued collective statements and coordinated responses, but the regional bloc remains limited in its ability to influence the behaviour of major powers involved in the conflict.

“ASEAN can coordinate, consult and issue collective statements. It can manage some resilience. But ASEAN, with its current capabilities, seemingly cannot shape the core military behaviour of the main belligerents in this conflict. So ASEAN’s strength lies in regional cooperation, but reflects a lack of strategic leverage,” he said.

Against this backdrop, he said Malaysia, while not directly involved in the conflict, remains an “impact state” due to its deep integration with global trade and supply chains, while maintaining active diplomacy amid rising uncertainty, including with Turkiye.

On the economic front, Khazanah Research Institute Senior Adviser Prof Emeritus Jomo Kwame Sundaram said Malaysia should begin addressing food security more systematically amid growing global disruptions in fertiliser and energy markets linked to the United States (US)-Israel war on Iran.

Speaking at the same forum, he said the production of most fertilisers is highly energy-intensive, with the impact on food production expected to be delayed, adding that many resources used in Southeast Asia are sourced from the Gulf.

“Malaysia has to seriously begin to think about food security in a systematic way,” he said.

Jomo, who is also an Adjunct Professor at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), said Malaysia also faces challenges related to high energy demand and adequate water supply for data processing centres.

He added that industrial gases such as helium, used in semiconductor manufacturing and cooling systems, could also be affected, as most supplies come from the Gulf.

Efforts to end the US-Israeli war on Iran remain ongoing, with talks held in Islamabad over the weekend failing to reach a permanent agreement.

US President Donald Trump struck an upbeat tone on the prospects for resuming direct talks with Iran, saying on Tuesday that negotiations could restart in Pakistan within the next two days.

Pakistan had earlier brokered a two-week ceasefire on April 8, which is still holding, offering a temporary reprieve amid continued uncertainty over the broader conflict and its regional implications.

-- BERNAMA