SINGAPORE - Malaysia's Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Thursday (June 2) that he is optimistic his country would be able to bring down domestic prices of chicken and resume exports of poultry to Singapore soon.

Speaking to reporters during his four-day visit to Singapore, he indicated that the ban is unlikely to last a few months.

"We value our bilateral relationship with Singapore. This is not an easy decision for us to make.

"So we hope that it is very temporary in nature until the supply and price situation is stabilised," he said.

The export ban, which kicked in on June 1, has pushed up prices and resulted in shortages of fresh chicken in Singapore, which depends on Malaysia for one-third of its chicken supply.

Over the past few days, supermarkets and wet markets ran out of fresh chicken as people rushed to buy them before the ban.

Some popular hawker stalls and eateries also saw long queues, with a number of hawkers and restaurant owners saying they would have to close for a while as they would not be able to use frozen chicken.

Mr Khairy, who is in Singapore as the 71st Lee Kuan Yew Exchange Fellow, said supply chain issues had made it harder and more expensive to procure chicken feed.

He added that climate issues have also affected the time taken for chickens to grow, leading to a “very difficult situation” for Malaysia with the shortage and soaring prices.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the move last week to block the export of up to 3.6 million whole chickens a month, in a bid to stabilise domestic supplies after the prices of chicken soared.

Malaysia has set a retail ceiling of RM8.90 (S$2.78) per kg for chicken, but prices have gone up to RM13 per kg in some places, according to news reports.

Mr Khairy said: “While countries obviously will look to securing their own food requirements, we’re also well aware that we have responsibility as exporters to our neighbours, including Singapore.”

He added that the situation is already improving with efforts to work with poultry producers in Malaysia to increase production and secure cheaper substitutes for chicken feed under way.

"Once these things resolve themselves, and we hope that they can be resolved very quickly, then, of course, we hope to resume exports of poultry, including to Singapore," he said.

Mr Khairy, who arrived on Tuesday, has met Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong and Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, among other ministers, and has also spoken at the Asia Tech x Singapore Summit.

On bilateral ties, he said the relationship between Singapore and Malaysia “should not just be one that is technical, and official in nature”.

“We can always look at the technical wording of the agreement. But we should go beyond that. 

“It’s the personal relationship, understanding, the give and take,” he added, without referring to a particular agreement.

“There can always be amendments to the original agreement that will take into account the feelings on both sides.”

He said it was this “personal relationship” that had allowed Singapore and Malaysia to discuss and come to a decision on the reopening of borders in April, adding that he and Mr Ong had made a judgment call based on trust.

“There were grave implications if we got it wrong. If the epidemiology on one side was not the same as the other, and we opened, then there will be an adverse effect on the other side. 

“So there had to be trust. (Ong) Ye Kung had to believe what I was reporting was correct, and I had to believe vice versa,” he added.

During the interview, Mr Khairy was also asked about talk of early polls in Malaysia, with Datuk Seri Ismail facing pressure from some in his party, Umno, to call a general election as soon as possible.

Mr Khairy said that while Malaysia has held several state elections during the pandemic and is ready to hold elections, taking into consideration public health needs, it is important to wait until the country’s economic recovery gains momentum.

“Is there any real big urgency to have the election? I don’t think so. Of course, many people say political stability, decisive victory. Yes. 

“But what’s the difference between this year, next year? We want to have wind in the sails of the recovery,” he said.

Mr Khairy, who is MP for Rembau - a district in the state of Negeri Sembilan - and Rembau Umno deputy division chief, added that those who were itching for an election now are not the ones who have to prepare the party for a general election.

“Those who want the elections right now are those who are desperate to become ministers and deputy prime minister,” he said.

And his message to them: “We respect your views as party leaders... but stay in your lane, wait your turn.”