PM Anwar on tariffs: ASEAN to despatch officials to Washington

All ASEAN nations would be dispatching their official to Washington DC to conduct engagement sessions with the Trump administration over the recenty announced reciprocal tariffs.

The move to initiate discussions is part of Malaysia’s alignment with the “soft diplomacy of quiet engagement” as opposed to “megaphone diplomacy”, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“Together with our colleagues in Asean, we will be dispatching our officials to Washington to begin the process of dialogue,” he said during his keynote address at the Asean Investment Conference today.

“There may be limited room to revisit the underlying intent (behind the tariffs), but there is still scope for adjusting the policy’s implementation,” he added.

He also did not rule out the tariffs as the first or last challenge towards multilateralism by the Trump administration.

“But, if ASEAN can hold its nerve – staying open, pragmatic and cohesive – it may yet be among the last believers in a world that works better when it works together,” he emphasised.

He insisted that Asean remains broadly committed to openness, cooperation and institutional continuity, adding that the bloc must rely more on itself by strengthening trade within member nations.

“Total trade in goods stands at US$3.5 trillion (RM15.6 trillion), but this figure is not guaranteed.

“With the barrage of tariffs sweeping across the world in fast and furious fashion, we are witnessing the fraying of the global order.

“We must move beyond rhetoric to execution. Tariff liberalisation within the region is largely complete, but regulatory alignment, cross-border logistics and digital connectivity remain unfinished business,” he added.

He pointed out that ASEAN’s strength “lies not in drama, but in durability”.

“ASEAN has always been a creature of evolution, not revolution.

“Over nearly six decades, it has withstood war, crises and coups (yet) still managed to inch forward, often frustratingly, but forward nonetheless,” he added.

Anwar cautioned that Malaysia has had mutual gain from bilateral trade with the US and the tariff was merely harming all of these.

Trump announced new reciprocal tariff. Malaysia was hit with a 24 percent tariff.

Cambodia received the highest tariff at 49 percent, followed by Laos (48 percent), Vietnam (46 percent) and Myanmar (44 percent).

Brunei is facing a 24 percent tariff while Indonesia’s could see a 32 percent tariff. A 17 percent and 10 percent tariff were also imposed on the Philippines and Singapore, respectively.

The tariff comes into effect tomorrow with a baseline of 10 percent tariff.