KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 — Malaysia’s trade value in 2025 reached RM3 trillion, a record level made possible by clear policies and good governance, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told Parliament this morning.

The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) is scheduled to report a detailed breakdown of last year’s trade performance later today.

“For the first time, our trade value reached RM3 trillion,” Anwar said during PM Question Time, when he was asked how Malaysia had managed to navigate global trade volatility caused by US tariffs.

“This is why I said we need clear policy communication, discipline, and good governance so we can explore new markets,” he added.

Malaysia’s 2025 gross domestic product beat estimates, growing 4.9 per cent, as expansion in the final quarter surged on robust performances in key sectors and strong domestic demand.

GDP grew 5.7 per cent in the October-to-December period from a year earlier, faster than the 5.2 per cent expansion in the third quarter.

Anwar said geopolitical uncertainties and trade headwinds unleashed by Washington’s shift towards an aggressive foreign policy had weighed on Malaysia’s trade performance, but the country still fared well despite the situation.

The Anwar government had said it would actively diversify Malaysia’s export markets in the face of growing US protectionism, and the record trade volume reached in 2025 showed the strategy’s success.

The US is one of Malaysia’s top three trading partners, and Malaysian-US trade rose 30 per cent to RM325.2 billion in 2024, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM) reported.

Exports and imports grew by 23.3 per cent and 42.1 per cent to RM198.9 billion and RM126.3 billion, respectively, reflecting increased demand for Malaysian exports to the US in 2024.

“We are realistic to understand the global situation, so we have tried to explore not only new markets but also new fields, including technology. Thanks to Allah, apart from our existing trade partners, we have also succeeded in increase trade in the region as well as new markets,” Anwar said.