He said not all issues could be fully resolved due to the country’s financial constraints, especially given the uncertain global environment.

“Do I deny that there are issues with the cost of living and prices of goods? I do not.

“Should they be addressed wisely? Yes. Are we able to help? My answer is partly yes – we are not able to help everyone,” he said at the prime minister’s monthly assembly with ministry staff, in conjunction with the monthly assembly of the natural resources and environmental sustainability ministry here.

Also present were natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Arthur Joseph Kurup, his deputy Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, and the ministry’s secretary-general Anis Rizana Zainudin.

Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said the measures taken included maintaining the fuel subsidy for RON95 as well as introducing targeted assistance like the BUDI Madani initiative.

However, he said the high cost of subsidies remained a major challenge for the government, necessitating policy adjustments from time to time.

He said the government would continue to monitor prices and gather feedback on the ground to ensure the effectiveness of its policies.

He also said that the situation involving oil tanker routes in the Strait of Hormuz was more complex than some had made it out to be.

He said there had been claims that national company vessels did not use the route, when in reality it was a key global energy trade route.