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MALAYSIA must present a compelling case for its role in global trade and investment when it sends officials to Washington later this month to discuss the 24 per cent reciprocal tariff imposed by the United States, the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) has said.
The delegation, led by the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry (MITI), is scheduled to begin discussions with US counterparts on April23, following the announcement by former US President Donald Trump of sweeping new tariffs on imports from nearly 90 countries — Malaysia among them.
AmCham chief executive officer Datuk Siobhan Maire Das (pic) emphasised the importance of projecting Malaysia as a credible and attractive destination for multinational corporations (MNCs), pointing to the country’s interconnected ecosystem of large and small businesses.
“It’s not separate; they are interconnected,” Bernama cited her saying during a panel session at Bursa Malaysia. “One of the things we need to understand locally is what we can do here in Malaysia to strengthen our position so that the authorities heading to the United States can (confidently) speak about that strength.”
Siobhan said AmCham has been holding regular dialogues with both governments, although much of this engagement has taken place behind closed doors.
“I think the authorities are reaching out. However, while we could be doing a lot more, our bandwidth is limited, especially with Malaysia chairing ASEAN. Therefore, I believe we respectfully need to find opportunities to sit down and talk,” she added.
AmCham’s annual “doorknock” to Washington — a series of meetings with US officials aimed at raising business concerns — is expected to take place in July. Siobhan noted that such discussions are often supplemented by direct lobbying from US-based MNCs operating in Malaysia, which channel their views back to Washington.
“Typically, direct engagement between companies and the US administration occurs through these corporations. They serve as the conduit,” she said.
In the same event, Bursa Malaysia chairman Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar stressed the importance of strategic diplomacy, urging Malaysian officials to maintain a balanced international stance while deepening ties across various global and regional trade blocs.
“We also need to continue enhancing intra-ASEAN trade, which I believe is very important, and to leverage bilateral trade with neighbouring countries. In the context of ASEAN, we are aware that there is still much room to strengthen trade among ASEAN countries,” he said.
On 2 April, Trump unveiled a set of reciprocal tariffs targeting key trading partners, expanding on his previous blanket 10 per cent import tax. The move raised duties on goods from a number of US allies and trading partners, with Malaysia among those hit hardest.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim confirmed last week that Malaysian officials would travel to Washington in an effort to resolve the issue through dialogue. The former US president has since announced a temporary 90-day pause on planned tariff hikes for most affected countries in a bid to soothe market volatility.
Malaysia’s visit to the US comes at a critical juncture, with Putrajaya facing mounting pressure to defend its economic interests while navigating a delicate geopolitical landscape and balancing its leadership role in ASEAN. – April 14, 2025