Malaysia still working on tariff negotiations with US, says Tengku Zafrul
Tengku Zafrul said that while US President Donald Trump announced Indonesia has secured a 19% tariff rate, he has not obtained further information from the Indonesian government.
'Let's wait for Indonesia's announcement. We are still in negotiations and we have until Aug 1.
'We still have time. Most importantly, we must ensure that this is a negotiation beneficial to both countries. It must be win-win,' said Tengku Zafrul at the sidelines of the International Healthcare Week 2025 in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday (July 16).
On Wednesday (July 16), Trump announced that Indonesian goods entering the US will face a 19% tariff, significantly lower than the 32% rate given to Jakarta earlier this month.
Malaysia is currently facing a 25% tariff rate, up from the initial 24% rate announced in April.
Tengku Zafrul said Malaysians should be realistic in their expectations regarding tariff talks with the US, as there are certain issues that Putrajaya will never compromise on.
'We cannot compromise on issues such as national sovereignty and our strategic industries.
'We must agree to give the same treatment to all countries, including all Asean countries, Europe, and China,' said Tengku Zafrul.
On April 2, Trump announced tariffs on various countries, including a 24% rate on Malaysia.
The tariffs were paused for 90 days to allow for negotiations.
On Monday, Trump announced varying tariff rates on 14 countries to take effect on 1 August, including a 25% rate on Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Tunisia, and Kazakhstan.
Other countries were hit with higher rates, such as Cambodia (36%), Thailand (36%), and 40% in Laos and Myanmar, respectively.
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