Imagine the price that Malaysian exports have to bear, which are subject to tariffs as high as 24% every time they enter the American market, and that is not a threat of words but a reality of the 'gift' left over from Donald Trump's era trade policy and to this day, the burden is still borne by the country's economy.
However, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the Malaysia-US negotiations to resolve this tariff issue are going well, even describing it as "excellent".
Malaysia is now actively working to reduce the tariff rate to the basic level of 10%, and has taken proactive steps by sending two senior ministers, Tengku Zafrul and Amir Hamzah, to meet in person with the United States (US) Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, last Wednesday.
The mission of the negotiations is clear, which is to loosen the tariff restrictions that restrict the country's exports, and reopen breathing space for Malaysian trade in the global market.
Anwar also stressed that these negotiations should not be centered solely on Malaysia's interests.
On the contrary, Malaysia brings a united voice to the Asean region which is also affected by biased trade policies.
He added that the differences in foreign policy between the countries should not be exaggerated as the Malaysia-US bilateral relationship remains strong and mutually beneficial.
In a world increasingly focused on great powers, if Malaysia and Asean do not speak out now, we will not only continue to be burdened by crippling tariffs, but will also remain spectators in a global economic game determined by others.
