Malaysia Adopts Cautious Approach Toward Trade Agreement With US

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 (KUNA) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Tuesday his government adopted a cautious approach toward the trade agreement with the US, as the deal not entered force and Washington proposed no ratification date yet officially.
Speaking before the Malaysian Parliament, Ibrahim explained that the agreement between Malaysia and the US remains pending, noting that the US had not, as of Monday, suggested any timeline for approval, leaving the matter unresolved at this stage.
He added the government will keep monitoring developments, stressing it will avoid hasty decisions risking Malaysia's trade interests, especially as a US Supreme Court tariffs ruling remains pending and awaits action by the US Congress.
Ibrahim noted that United States President Donald Trump could invoke legal provisions to retain tariffs, adding Malaysia would safeguard national economic and trade interests while allowing time to assess executive decisions affecting bilateral trade relations.
He said bilateral trade between Malaysia and the US stands at 367.5 billion Malaysian ringgit (about USD 77.3 billion), warning that any rushed decision could impact this level of exchange.
In a related context, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said US companies trading with Malaysia were most affected by US tariffs, while a government survey showed minimal impact on Malaysian firms, sparking debate within the US. (end)
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