ASEAN Should Set Up Supply Chain War Room To Boost Crisis Preparedness, SME Resilience
KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 (Bernama) -- ASEAN should establish a “supply chain war room” at its Secretariat to simulate past disruptions and anticipate future shocks, in a move aimed at helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) make informed decisions on production, partnerships and market positioning.
CARI ASEAN Research and Advocacy chairman Tan Sri Munir Majid said such a war room would help economies navigate both existing and emerging challenges, particularly amid rising geopolitical tensions, including the conflict in West Asia, which could have varying degrees of impact across countries.
“We have to start thinking about what we are going to do. Are we going to be in a situation as bad as the 1997 Asian financial crisis? There will be political and unemployment issues. Not every country in ASEAN has sufficient reserves,” he told reporters at the ASEAN Leadership and Partnership Forum 2026 here today.
Munir, who is also ASEAN Business Club president, said ASEAN countries must begin assessing such risks and their potential economic impact, noting that Malaysia, for instance, is addressing the issue individually.
“Malaysia is addressing the issue individually, particularly in terms of its fiscal position and how far it can sustain support measures, especially fuel subsidies and other related assistance,” he said.
Munir also said ASEAN should advance several strategic initiatives, including discussions on a new global economic order, a topic long debated but not yet fully realised.
He noted that members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) could strengthen cooperation, even if the two frameworks cannot be formally merged due to geopolitical divisions among countries.
Therefore, Munir said ASEAN must take the lead in addressing immediate challenges, recalling that during the COVID-19 pandemic, regional cooperation was limited.
“During COVID-19, was there ASEAN cooperation to face the immediate challenge in terms of bulk procurement? No, everybody was on their own. That is not ideal,” he said.
He emphasised that ASEAN must demonstrate stronger coordination, particularly in areas such as food security.
“ASEAN must show now, for example, how to work together on food security. Who are the net food exporters? How can we help each other?” he said.
He warned that food security could become an urgent concern amid rising prices and supply constraints, noting that agriculture is being affected by disruptions such as limited urea supply from West Asia.
-- BERNAMA
