Malaysia taps seasoned diplomat to navigate US tariff tensions
Malaysia has tapped a career diplomat as its new ambassador to the US, according to people familiar with the matter, as the Southeast Asian nation seeks tariff relief from Washington.
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Shahrul Ikram Yaakob, who retired as secretary general of Malaysia's Foreign Affairs Ministry in 2022, would be the new envoy, although his appointment was yet to be ratified by
Washington , the people said, asking not to be identified because they were not authorised to speak publicly.
The 64-year-old is currently an independent non-executive director at state-controlled conglomerate Sime Darby.
The foreign affairs ministry, the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and Sime Darby could not immediately comment on Friday.
The position has been vacant for more than three months even as Malaysia negotiates with the US to bring levies on the Southeast Asian nation down from the 24 per cent that President
Donald Trump has pledged to impose.
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The previous ambassador, Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, ended his two-year stint in Washington in February.
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