Malaysia is taking a balanced approach to the US tariffs announced by President Trump earlier this month.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said we need to handle this carefully to avoid any major problems for our country and its people.
“We’re the second-largest semiconductor manufacturer in the world, and 60% of our semiconductor exports go to the US,” he explained.
“So, it’s important to keep our relationship with the US and other countries balanced to avoid negative impacts on our people’s lives and our country.”
“We need to make sure our economy keeps growing for everyone’s well-being,” Anwar said during the state-level Madani Aidilfitri celebration in Kuala Perlis.
Anwar emphasised that no country, including the US, should be able to set trade tariffs on their own, as it can harm other countries’ economies.
“While we were working on domestic reforms, we were caught off guard by the tariffs imposed by President Trump.”
“These tariffs mean Malaysian goods exported to the US will become more expensive, which could be a problem for our economy,” he added.
“For now, the tariff increase has been postponed for 90 days, giving us some breathing room, as neighboring countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Indonesia are facing much higher tariffs,” he said.
Anwar added that Malaysia will keep negotiating with the US to resolve the issue, with two Cabinet ministers assigned to handle the talks.
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Also read: “Cancel tariffs if you want to talk” – China Says There are No Ongoing Negotiations With the US
