Kuala Lampur, April 5 -- War has never been confined to the battlefield. It radiates outward - through markets, supply chains, currencies, and ultimately into the daily lives of ordinary citizens.

What is unfolding in West Asia today is not a distant geopolitical disturbance. It is a systemic economic shock, one that is already reverberating across continents.

Yet, amid this mounting turbulence, Asean's collective voice remains noticeably subdued. This silence is neither trivial nor benign.

The disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz alone - through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil flows - have triggered cascading consequences.

Energy prices are rising sharply. Nearly one-third of the world's fertilizer supply, tied to the regio...