US-M'sia tariff negotiations ‘positive' so far, says Amir
KUALA LUMPUR : Finance minister II Amir Hamzah Azizan has described the feedback received by the Malaysian government on its ongoing tariff negotiations with the US as 'positive'.
He also reaffirmed Malaysia's support of a trading system that is open, multilateral and rules-based, as well as its decision not to impose retaliatory tariffs against the US.
'Malaysia's approach has always been engagement with the US to understand what the issues are and to figure out whether we can navigate the path ahead and come up with a win-win solution.
'The US has been positive in responding to Malaysia's approach, and engagement has been done where both sides have had their trade teams talk about how we can navigate the issue,' Amir said at the Invest Asean-Malaysia Conference 2025 here.
He said Malaysia's trade negotiators had consistently highlighted the interdependence of global supply chains and the significant consequences of disrupting them during engagements with their US counterparts.
'Our approach has always been recognising where things are coming from. If it is not in our interest for something to be disrupted, then let's not disrupt it.
'Where there is an opportunity for liberalisation, let's look at it on the basis that there will be a win-win outcome.'
On June 22, investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said Malaysia's discussions with the US Secretary of Commerce on tariff-related matters had made good progress.
He said both Malaysia and US representatives had also agreed to intensify efforts to reach an agreement acceptable to key stakeholders in both countries.
Malaysian exports to the US face a 24% tariff unless an agreement is reached before a 90-day suspension expires on July 8.
Amir added that discussions on non-tariff barriers should not be met with outright rejection, but rather a 'let's talk about it' approach to explore whether easing certain restrictions could be mutually beneficial.
'For example, Malaysia doesn't fully produce everything that we need when it comes to agriculture, and there may be supply gaps in our system.
'If adding the US's supply chain to the Malaysian network helps, then I don't think Malaysia will be hesitant to do the necessary to improve the conditions for our workers. But they must respect the rules and laws we have here in Malaysia,' he said.
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