Malaysia presses for fair US trade deal, raises concerns for ASEAN

By Maybelene Marcelino

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has declared that ongoing United States tariff negotiations are “going excellent”, but also stressed the need for an equitable deal not just for Malaysia, but for the entire Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc.

Demand for more equitable deal

In his keynote address at the Asia-Pacific Roundtable in Kuala Lumpur, Anwar highlighted the wider regional impact of US trade policies, expressing concern about the economic strain caused by the tariffs.

He said he had told US officials to “secure what is fair for Malaysia but also present the case that is best for ASEAN, too.”

The country currently faces a 24 percent tariff on all goods entering the US and is seeking to lower the rate to the 10 percent baseline tariff.

US-Malaysia alliance continues

While the premier acknowledged the shadow cast by Trump’s tariffs over the region, he stressed that Malaysia’s bilateral relations with the US remain strong.

“Some of our differences in foreign policies cannot be too exaggerated because our bilateral relations with the US remain strong,” he said, as quoted by Malay Mail.

He noted that ASEAN is actively working to upgrade trade agreements with its member states and dialogue partners to better navigate economic challenges.

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Digital economy deal for regional growth

Meanwhile, Anwar expressed confidence that the conclusion of the Digital Economic Framework Agreement would help unlock the region’s digital economy potential.

He said the agreement is to be the world’s first region-wide and legally binding agreement on digital economy governance.

“In the face of rising protectionism, we must remind ourselves that trade is not a sideshow to security – it is part of the scaffolding that holds the region together,” said the prime minister.

“When trade falters, fractures follow,” he added.

Bridging divides through BRICS

Separately, Anwar defended the ASEAN leaders’ engagement with the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) bloc, arguing that it should not be viewed as “anti-Western” but as a collaborative effort to tackle shared global challenges.

He highlighted the recent expansion of BRICS to include members and partner countries from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Africa and South America as crucial for bridging regional divides.

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