Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has instructed the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to urgently prepare mitigation measures against the expected impact of the Super El Niño phenomenon, which is forecast to affect Malaysia from November.
Anwar said the move is necessary to minimise potential disruptions to national food production while protecting the livelihoods of farmers and other players in the agriculture sector.
In a Facebook post, Anwar said the issue was among the key matters discussed during the National Food Security Council Meeting (No. 1/2026), which also covered efforts to strengthen Malaysia’s agrifood sector and improve food supply resilience.
“I have instructed the ministry to expedite the finalisation of this matter through the appropriate channels, without compromising food safety and quality standards,” he said.
The Prime Minister also said the meeting discussed fisheries cooperation with the Thai government, adding that continuous engagement with fishing communities is needed to ensure their products comply with required standards.
“Continuous engagement with the fishing community must also be carried out to ensure their products comply with the prescribed standards,” he said.
Anwar said the government would continue strengthening the agrifood sector through technology adoption, innovation and best practices to improve competitiveness among local producers.
He added that efforts would focus on supporting farmers, padi growers, livestock breeders and fishermen while ensuring Malaysia’s food supply remains secure for the people.
