Today's top Malaysian news, sport and lifestyle.
Malaysia has been assigned a 10% tariff rate under US Section 301 forced labour measures, placing it among 17 economies in the lower bracket. The tariff takes effect from July 24, recognising Malaysia's commitment to enforcing labour protections.
Malaysia has begun facing a 10% tariff on exports to the United States following Washington's determination that the country has not fully enforced forced labour import restrictions, despite maintaining legal prohibitions. The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry says it will continue diplomatic engagement.
Brazil has rejected Washington's decision to impose 12.5 per cent tariffs on its products, claiming the forced labour investigation is a pretext for protectionism. Brasília is pursuing dispute settlement at the WTO.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pledged continued discussions with the United States regarding tariffs linked to forced labour compliance, though he expressed relief at Malaysia's relatively modest 10 per cent duty rate compared to global peers.
Singapore has been targeted with a 12.5 per cent tariff by the Trump administration following an investigation into forced labour practices. The levy affects a significant portion of exports to the US and reflects broader tensions in global trade policy.
The Trump administration has announced tariffs ranging from 10 to 12.5 percent on South Korea, Japan and numerous trading partners, alleging insufficient efforts to prevent forced labour imports.
India has enacted legislation to prohibit imports of goods manufactured using forced labour, a preemptive measure aimed at averting steep US trade tariffs currently under investigation.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says the Malaysia-Thailand Border Economic Zone will facilitate Malaysian agricultural and fisheries exports to Indochina markets, with Thailand agreeing to relax customs barriers previously hindering trade flows.
Malaysia's Economy and Investment ministries have been tasked with reviewing proposals from the plastics industry as the sector grapples with ongoing global supply chain challenges.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has instructed MITI and the Economy Ministry to work with manufacturers struggling under global supply chain pressures, with particular focus on the plastics industry that underpins multiple sectors.
Malaysia's manufacturing federation has appealed to the US to apply Section 301 tariffs selectively, warning that blanket duties risk penalising compliant firms and destabilising regional supply chains integral to global electronics production.
Southeast Asian nations are advancing security cooperation, economic development, and regional trade in early July 2026, with Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam border initiatives and Indonesia's ambitious airport expansion programme leading regional infrastructure reform.
Malaysia's Investment Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani has called for the World Trade Organization to fundamentally reshape itself to address contemporary economic concerns including supply chain resilience and technological competition.