Not sure I understand the problem. Are they talking about wiring bundles chaffing?
Chaffing can eventually wear away insulation and potentially allow bare wires to contact one another, causing a short circuit. That's a very bad thing in an electric jet.
It's not clear from the article I can only think that chaffing and stripping of insulation could lead to a short circuit and not proximity itself.
And so much for my prediction of a golden parachute.Boeing CEO Pushed Out as Company Reels From 737 MAX Debacle