NATIONAL
Malaysia seeks lower tariff rates for key sectors in US talks on June 18 - Tengku Zafrul
Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz says the US currently imposes a 24 per cent tariff on certain Malaysian exports. - BERNAMA/Filepic
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is seeking lower tariff rates for selected sectors under the United States' (US) 10 per cent minimum tariff, particularly for industries deemed critical to both economies, ahead of another round of negotiations in Washington on June 18.
AI Brief
Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said the talks aim to secure fairer terms for Malaysian exporters affected by the new baseline tariff announced by the US administration.
"The US currently imposes a 24 per cent tariff on certain Malaysian exports. And of course, our first target is to reduce that rate. The second is to identify sectors that should ideally be subject to tariffs below 10 per cent.
"We need to consider sectors that are important to Malaysian exporters and also crucial to the US economy," he told a press conference after launching the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Strategic Plan 2026-2030, here today.
However, the specific sectors under negotiation were not disclosed.
In April 2025, the US government announced new tariff measures affecting more than 60 countries, including Malaysia. The implementation of these tariffs has been temporarily paused for 90 days to allow room for negotiations.
-- BERNAMA
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AI Brief
- Malaysia is in talks with the US to reduce a 24% tariff on some exports and push for lower rates below 10% for key sectors.
- The US announced new tariffs in April 2025 affecting over 60 countries, including Malaysia.
- Tariff implementation is paused for 90 days to allow for negotiations; specific sectors under discussion remain undisclosed.
Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said the talks aim to secure fairer terms for Malaysian exporters affected by the new baseline tariff announced by the US administration.
"The US currently imposes a 24 per cent tariff on certain Malaysian exports. And of course, our first target is to reduce that rate. The second is to identify sectors that should ideally be subject to tariffs below 10 per cent.
"We need to consider sectors that are important to Malaysian exporters and also crucial to the US economy," he told a press conference after launching the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Strategic Plan 2026-2030, here today.
However, the specific sectors under negotiation were not disclosed.
In April 2025, the US government announced new tariff measures affecting more than 60 countries, including Malaysia. The implementation of these tariffs has been temporarily paused for 90 days to allow room for negotiations.
-- BERNAMA