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MALAYSIA cannot reverse its previously signed Reciprocal Trade Agreement with the United States, but will pursue renegotiation of any provisions that disadvantage the country, according to Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
Speaking to reporters after clocking in at the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) on his first day in office, Johari said that while signed agreements must be respected, they are not immutable.
“What has already been signed, we cannot reverse,” he said. “But what we want to look at together with MITI is which aspects we can request for renegotiation, any elements that are unfair.”
He stressed that the agreement remains open to discussion. “Because this agreement does not have a full stop,” he added.
Johari, who is also the Member of Parliament for Titiwangsa, said his immediate priority at MITI is to strengthen Malaysia’s economic defences, noting that many developed nations are increasingly turning inward to protect their domestic industries.
“If we look at it, more and more developed countries are now seeking internal protection,” he said. “When they focus on internal protection, that becomes an even stronger reason for us to also defend our own country.”
He pointed to long-term economic data to underline the challenge facing Malaysia, particularly in relation to small and medium-sized enterprises.
“If we look at the gross domestic product, it has grown very significantly from 2015 to 2024,” he said. “But our contribution from small and medium enterprises, when compared over that 10-year period, was 37 per cent of GDP and now it is 39 per cent. It has only increased slightly, by just two per cent, and that is what we will be looking at.”
Johari cautioned against unrealistic expectations of rapid transformation, saying his approach would be grounded in data rather than political rhetoric.
“I did not come to the ministry to create ‘miracles’,” he said. “What I want is to get feedback from the ministry’s officers, and then we will begin diagnosing the situation using statistics so that it can be shared with the Cabinet.”
He added that public transparency would be essential as the government charts its economic strategy.
“Going forward, how are we going to defend our country without informing the people?” he said.
Johari’s remarks signal a more assertive stance by the new MITI leadership at a time of shifting global trade dynamics, with Malaysia seeking to balance its international commitments against domestic economic resilience. - December 17, 2025
