KUALA LUMPUR (April 23): Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz and his team have arrived in the US to urge US officials to review tariffs on Malaysian imports.
Zafrul shared his arrival in Washington DC on Wednesday via a Facebook post. “Before meeting with senior officials of the US government, we (the Miti team) reviewed strategies and current efforts to strengthen Malaysia-US trade relations.”
“Hard work and meticulous planning are crucial for positive outcomes. We are committed to finding the best solutions for our mutual interests, seeking fair and equitable trade solutions,” the minister said in the brief post.
When contacted by The Edge, a Miti spokesperson said the team’s main meeting will be with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
Further details of the trip were unable to be disclosed at this juncture.
On April 2, US President Donald Trump imposed a 10% import tariff on all trade partners, along with extra tariffs on countries with large trade surpluses with the US.
The 24% reciprocal tariff on Malaysia was set to begin on April 9, but was delayed when Trump announced a 90-day pause just hours before it took effect. It is now unclear if the tariffs will be implemented after the grace period or if Trump will pursue a different strategy.
Trump has also eased trade tensions with China, suggesting tariffs could be reduced if an agreement is reached. Additionally, he reversed his earlier intention to fire US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, stating that while he would like to see lower interest rates, he has no plans to remove Powell.