A potential 50% increase in food prices in Malaysia is threatened by soaring fuel costs, according to trade associations. The energy crisis caused by the Iran war could impact the country's already narrow margins for roadside stalls and restaurants.

The energy crisis caused by the Iran war could push food prices up by as much as 50 per cent in Malaysia, trade associations have warned, as soaring fuel costs threaten to wipe out already narrow margins for roadside stalls and restaurants feeding the country’s outsize appetite for eating out. Malaysia’s government coffers have already taken a hit due to fallout from the conflict, with local fuel subsidy costs estimated to spike by more than fourfold to about 3.2 billion ringgit (US$795 million)...