KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is standing firm on its national interests as talks with the United States continue over the looming 25% import tariff on Malaysian goods, says Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
“We cannot compromise when there is an issue related to the sovereignty of the country,” he said at a press conference today.
Zafrul said Malaysia has clearly communicated its position on key domestic policies and is coordinating with relevant ministries to maintain a united front in ongoing bilateral talks.
While negotiations have not yet produced a breakthrough, Zafrul expressed cautious optimism about the outcome.
“If you give me 50-50, I’m more than 50% confident of concluding it,” he said, noting that “the devil is in the details” and that some sticking points may require further diplomatic engagement.
He stressed that Malaysia is not seeking an agreement for appearances’ sake.
“We do not want to reach a deal for the sake of reaching a deal. If the deal does not benefit Malaysia, we should not have a deal.”
Zafrul also addressed the recent tariff revision — up from the 24% announced in April to 25% — which caught some off guard.
“We have already asked [the US], and they did not have an answer. This time, it is back to the President of the United States,” he said.
Still, he played down the significance of the 1% increase, pointing out that Malaysia’s tariff rate remains lower than that imposed on neighbouring countries.
“1% is not a big number. We are still lower than our neighbouring countries like Thailand and Indonesia,” he added.
With less than three weeks before the tariff takes effect on Aug 1, Zafrul said high-level engagement will continue with the US.
He reiterated that Malaysia is acting in good faith to secure a “fair and comprehensive” deal.
